Bioshock: Alternative
by Crazybird101
Summary: Brigid Tenenbaum was on a flight to see her father back in Germany when something goes horribly wrong. She soon finds herself in a fight for survival when she arrives at Rapture. But she will soon learn that there is a purpose for her being there. It's a four year old boy named Jack Ryan.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning:**

**AU**

**Character Deaths**

**Spoilers to Bioshock 1, 2 and Burial at Sea**

**OOCNESS *Out of Character***

**Violence**

**Disturbing moments**

**Death**

**Gore**

**Language**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bioshock**

**Flames will be used to power up Big Daddies**

**Note: I've never played Bioshock. But I've done some research and seen some walkthroughs on YouTube. **

**X.X**

_Atlantic Ocean, 1960_

Smoke filled the passenger part of the plane due to the countless cigarettes that were being used. The deadly scent of nicotine filled a young woman's nostrils as she sat quietly in her seat. A cigarette of her own in one hand and a small package in the other. The woman, just in her early thirties, turned her attention over to the window. A blanket of dark sea water was the only thing that was present. Other then the moon as it casted its light down. Giving the ocean a soft glow.

_"I remember something my father once told me. He always did say I was destined to do something great. You know what I think about that?"_

The plane suddenly rocked violently, causing a few flight attendants and passengers who were standing to fall. Brigid, also taken by surprise, instinctively gripped onto the arm rests of her seat. There was a loud explosion coming from the right wing of the plane. Screams of terror filled the plane as it fell out of the sky.

_"He's right."_

Brigid was briefly knocked unconscious upon impact. When she came too, all she could hear was the sound of muffled debris falling all around her and her own heart racing. Her vision faded in and out as blurs. Her arms coming into view as she frantically flail her arms in the dark, heavy water. Eventually her vision did settle and her mind was able to kick into survival mode. Mustering every amount of strength she had in her, she kicked her legs up. Debris sinking all around her. The passenger portion of the plane came crashing down and nearly struck her as it rapidly sank to the bottom. A brief light flickering in it.

Brigid felt herself close to losing oxygen and desperately swam closer and closer until she broke the surface. Taking in large gulps of air while coughing up sea water. She frantically looked around for signs of any other survivors, but the likelihood of there being any was very slim. Amongst the carnage, something tall caught her eye.

It was a lighthouse. With golden statue at the top. Hope swelled in her as she made her way over. Perhaps there could be a lighthouse keeper inside? Or a radio to call for help. Anything! A gas tank close by erupted into flames as soon as it made contact with the fire, frightening Brigid a bit and urging her to swim faster. She collapsed in the stone staircase as soon as she was away from the water. Her hair, top and skirt all soaking wet.

Coughing a bit, she looked over to what was left of the crash site. Pieces of metal and flames were all that remained. How she survived was indeed a miracle. But now she had to find a way to try and call for help. Grabbing onto the steel railing, Brigid weakly pushed herself up and climbed up the steps with her leather boots. The cool night air brushed against her wet skin, giving her goosebumps. The eerie melody of a bell ringing amongst the carnage gave off a foreboding feeling.

As soon as she reached the top she was greeted by a set of large, paved doors with oceanic carvings on them. Raising a hesitant fist, she knocked. After receiving no reply, she pushed the door open and poked her head in.

"Hello?" she called. Her thick German accent echoing in the darkness. "Hello!" she called again.

Nothing.

Pushing the door further, Brigid entered the lighthouse. The buzzing of electricity suddenly filled her ears as pale lights suddenly clicked on. Revealing a staircase leading downward. 40s to 50s music played softly in the background. Brigid looked around in silent wonder, only jumping when she heard the door slam behind her. The slam echoed throughout the empty structure. Brigid made her way over to the cement staircase. The heel of her boots tapping against it was she slowly made her way downward.

The carving of what appeared to be a city was present on the wall. As Brigid ran her finger across it lightly, as strange feeling of _deja vu _kicked in. Had she been here before? When she turned around, she stepped into a large circular room. Overshadowing it was the large statue of man that sent chills down her spin. Hanging down was a crimson flag with the words _"No Gods or Kings. Only Man." _writing in gold. Though the fabric looked slightly dirty and unkept. In the center was a sphere shaped container with a glass window. Inside revealed a relatively small, but comfortable looking spot with plush red seats and a carpeted floor. In the back was a large lever.

With curiosity taking over her mind now, Brigid made her way over and stepped into the sphere. She gasped when she heard the door suddenly slam shut. "Shit!" she cursed. She used both hands and pressed against the glass in an attempt to open it. But she was locked in. Sighing in defeat, Brigid fell on one of the plush seats tiredly. She turned her attention over to the lever, which looked as though it hasn't been used in quite some time.

With no other option, Brigid hesitantly reached out and wrapped her slim fingers against the cold metal and pulled it down. The sphere was released from its hold and submerged itself in the ocean water. Brigid looked out the window in slight panic as the sphere sunk deeper and deeper. A statue was briefly seen before vanishing. Just then, something blanket the window and the sound of a projector was heard.

Music was heard as old pictures were being projected on-screen. First it was that of a man and a woman, with fire appearing on the tip of the man's finger. And then another saying _"Ryan Industries"_. Soon the image of man sitting in a chair with his legs folded appeared. He had a sly smile on his face and appeared to be a man of great power.

_"I am Andrew Ryan," _a male voice began. It held a small accent to it and sounded relatively young. Was he Russian, perhaps? "_and I am here to ask you a question."_

Another image on-screen. That of a farmer in a field looking relatively sweaty and exhausted. _"Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?" _the voice asked.

Another image appeared. That of a man fleeing in fear with a large eagle with its talons outstretched and the white house at the bottom. _"'No', says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.'"_

Another image appeared next. This time it showed a man raising his arms to cover his face as a large hand reached down towards him from the sky. The Vatican present in the background as well. _"'No', says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God.'"_

The final image appeared: showing a man looking terrified with a large Hammer and Sickle above him and a Russian building in the background. _"'No', says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone.'"_

Brigid was having a somewhat difficult time taking all of this in. Who was this man? What did he mean? Where was this damn sphere taking her!? The image of the man returned.

_"I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I choose..."_

The projector switched off and the screen lifted up. What appeared next was something Brigid least expected.

_"__**Rapture**__." _the man said in such power and determination, Brigid couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by it. Her mouth slowly opened in awe by the site before her.

**X.X**

**Even though I've personally never played Bioshock, I have seen some playthroughs on the interweb :3**

**I've also done my research and I KNOW Brigid Tenenbaum isn't the one who comes crashing down in a plane, stumbles upon a Bathysphere, and goes to have a jolly time in Rapture. But I have unique plans for this fic.**

**Here's the AU: Ryan finds out that hooker lady of his is pregnant with his kid and her planes to sell him to Fontaine. After Jackie is born, he leaves that lady and raises Jack on his own to be the next ruler of Rapture. Tenenbaum, realizing that what she was going to do to Jack before he was even born was wrong, leaves Rapture for good and manages to force herself to forget her life there. Which works.**

**There will be some surprise characters in here, along with an O.C. I call Pelageya. Who is a girl, btw. **

**Sorry for any errors you might see and all. And if I mess something up in the Bioshock franchise, don't get mad at me! I've never played the game! **

**Fun Fact: Pelageya is a feminine Russian name meaning "of the sea". Kind catchy for her :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Steel skyscrapers and buildings rose up from the ocean floor. Everything lit up in a Turquoise blue along with neon signs directing to all sorts of shops and business. Connecting to some of the buildings was what appeared to be long glass tunnels.

_"A city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the scientist would not be bound by petty mortality, where the great would not be constrained by the small. And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city, as well."_

The audio clip ended and Brigid was left speechless. Not only by the fact that there was actually a city at the bottom of the ocean for God knows how long, but by the fact that it was also scientifically possible. The sphere passed a large statue just as the sound of static filled Brigid's ears. She looked over and noticed a handheld radio that was buzzing with white noise. Though it wasn't very clear, she could hear voices. The sphere then passed a series of rings before finally stopping inside a building with old 50s posters plastered on the wall. Advertising something called "Plasmas".

The static on the radio started to fade away and the voices grew louder. One speaking in a rather hesitant American accent and the other a thick Irish accent. Both belonging to men. The sphere was suddenly lifted upwards before stopping in a rather dark, eerie room. There was a large glass window ahead, revealing the ocean. Two silhouettes caught Brigid's attention. One was that of a man, who had his back towards her and was slowly backing away from the second figure. Brigid couldn't make out a good description for that one.

In the blink of an eye, Brigid felt an overwhelming sense of fear envelope in her when the second figure suddenly charged and stabbed the man. With incredible strength it lifted him off the ground and...slit his throat with two glowing hooks. Bits of blood splattered on the window of the sphere, causing Brigid to hold back a scream. The creature was still outside. Mere inches from the window. It moved it's head around, sniffing the air. In raspy, feminine voice, it spoke.

"Is it someone new?" it hissed before letting out a terrifying scream and jumped on the sphere. Brigid screamed in fear when she felt the entire thing shake and sparks appeared outside the door as the creature desperately tried to open it. She creature let out a frustrated snarl before jumping off the sphere and climbing up the walls rapidly. Brigid, panting, heard the radio crackle again and the Irish voice spoke through.

_"Hello? If anyone is still alive in there, can ya please pick up the radio." _man asked.

Brigid, trembling, cautiously removed the radio and placed the speaker piece near her mouth. "H-hello?" she asked.

_"Aw, thank God. I thought that Splicer had ya there for a sec. I don't know how you survived that plane crash, but I've never been one to question Providence. I'm Atlas, and I aim to keep you alive. Now keep on moving...we're gonna have to get you to higher ground."_

There was a soft _hiss _before the sphere door opened. Brigid swallowed as she cautiously gripped the edges and poked her head out.

_"Take a deep breath and step out of the bathysphere. I won't leave you twisting in the wind." _Atlas said assuringly over the radio. Brigid placed her left foot out on the red carpet that led down a short bridge before jumping out of the bathysphere itself. As she made her way across the bridge her radio came bustling to life once more. _"We're gonna need to draw her out of hiding. But you're gonna have to trust me."_

"What the hell is that thing?" Brigid asked.

_"Splicers." _Atlas replied darkly, _"Something you don't want to run into without a weapon. Nasty little bastards."_

Chilling humming filled the room, causing Brigid's blood to run ice cold through her veins. She's gone through hell and seen it during her captivity in a concentration camp. But that is nothing compared to what she's feeling right now. The humming suddenly stopped and was replaced with a menacing hiss.

"I'll wrap you in a sheet..." the female Splicer said ominously.

Brigid felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She slowly made her way up a flight of stairs and into a dark area with flickering lights. She noticed writing on the walls, but it was too dark to read. She then entered an area that had tvs on the walls. One of them suddenly exploded, causing Brigid to jump a bit.

_"Just a bit further..." _Atlas said.

The creature suddenly fell from the ceiling and landed on a pile of rubble only a few feet ahead. Brigid stopped dead in her tracks. Stone cold in fear. A bright light suddenly was suddenly casted down on the creature, along with what sounded like an alarm going off.

_"How do you like that sister?" _Atlas yelled over the radio.

The splicer screeched in pain and alarm as a flying machine came floating down and began firing at her. The splicer frantically made her way up the wall and into a vent. The machine followed closely behind. Brigid sighed in relief.

_"Now would you go find yourself a crowbar or something? Bloody splicers sealed Johnny in before they...goddamn splicers." _Atlas hissed over the radio.

Brigid made her way over to the rubble and immediately found a red wrench lying on the floor. She didn't hesitant to quickly snatch it up. She noticed some rubble blocking a hole and immediately smashed it away with the wrench. It led to a flight of stairs leading up. At the top was couch that was suddenly flung downward, followed by a loud scream. Brigid swiftly dodged the couch and looked up just as male splicer came running in. Brigid barely had time to react when the horrifying creature slammed his pipe down. Brigid dodged it and viciously whacked his head with the wrench. The splicer didn't go down easily, however. Brigid managed to dodge a few more hits before giving the death blow on his head. Fracturing his skull.

Brigid stared at the dead splicer, panting. She then heard what sounded like recorded children's voices. She looked up and noticed a flight of stairs leading to a balcony. On the wall was a large neon sign in the shape of a hand and lightning bolts with the word _"Plasmids" _above it. Brigid made her up and came upon a machine with the statues of two little girls standing on each side.

"Gatherers garden..." Brigid read to herself softly. There was a red bottle labeled "Electro Bolt" sitting in the slot. With it was a needle. Brigid picked up both items and examined both. She placed the needle and ejected some of the red liquid from the bottle before placing it aside. She then held out her left wrist. Biting her tongue, she swiftly stabbed herself and injected the liquid. Her vision briefly turned red as new source of energy flowed in. She dropped the needle and stared at both of her hands in horror as blue light shot through them.

_"Steady now!" _Atlas said over the radio, _"Your genetic code is being rewritten. Just hold on and everything will be fine!"_

Brigid gagged and gasped as pain coursed through her body. She stumbled her way over to the balcony, and, without thinking, allowed herself to fall over. More pain coursed through her body as soon as she crashed to the wooden floor. It was the last thing she felt before her world went black.

...

Brigid opened her eyes halfway. Her vision was still blurry and unfortunately, everything that had happened wasn't a dream. She was still in the lobby. But remained absolutely still when she noticed the two figures standing over her. One of the knelt in front of her, dressed in ripped clothing and a cat mask covering his face.

"This little mermaid looks like she just had her cherry POPPED." the male splicer spat, "Wonder if she still got some ADAM on her?"

Brigid closed her eyes again before reopening them she heard a loud screech not far away. Both splicers suddenly looked around in panic.

"You hear that? Let's bug!" the second splicer gasped.

"Weak!" the first splicer yelled, grabbing his wrist viciously. "You're a weak chopper!"

"This little mermaid ain't worth toeing it with no Big Sister!" the second splicer snapped, pulling his wrist away before running off.

"Yellow! Always have been!" the first splicer yelled before kneeling in front of Brigid and getting a little too close to her face. "You'll be no better off with the big sister or the metal daddy, little mermaid. See you floating in the briney..." the splicer ran off, and Brigid closed her eyes again.

When she opened her eyes once more, she heard what sounded like crashing a few feet from her. She had to bite back the urge to scream when she saw a tall, slender figure enter her vision. It must be around a height of 6' 10"! It also appeared to be wearing a red, rusty diving suit. A long needle was present on one wrist as a green, eerie light casted from the small window on its face.

Brigid closed her eyes. She opened them once more when she heard what sounded like little footsteps approaching her. It was a little boy. Age four, perhaps? He wore what appeared to be a pale yellow sweater with light blue denim jeans and little black shoes. His hair was short and brown. Brigid could feel his big, curious brown eyes looking down at her. In one arm was a little rag doll that resembled the large creature standing just mere inches from him. The boy made a small gasp. One that any child would make when he or she saw something they thought was strange or exciting.

"Look, big sister Pelageya, it's a parasite!" he said, "Do you think Papa's splicers made her into an angel?"

Brigid's fingers twitched slightly, causing her to stiffen. The boy took a step back.

"Wait a minute! She's still breathing. But it's alright. Papa's splicers will turn her into an angel soon. Come on. Let's go play in Papa's Amusements." the boy said, gently tugging on the creature's wrist. The Big Sister scooped up the child and held him in her arms. It gave Brigid a sinister look before swiftly disappearing from sight.

...

Brigid pushed herself up, feeling every bone in her body ache.

_"You alright, lass? First time plasmid's a real kick from a mule. But...there's nothing like a fistful of lightning now, is there?" _Atlas said over the radio.

"Who...was that little boy? What was that thing with him?" Brigid asked.

_"The little boy you just met is who most like to call 'The Prince of Rapture'. But I personally call him little Ryan. His full name is Jack Ryan, and the thing that was with him is his protector. I wouldn't go messing around with those two. It's her duty to keep the 'Prince' safe while his Daddy is busy running the place." _

Brigid gulped. "Are there any more to those Big Sisters?"

_"Thankfully, no. Pelageya is the first as far as I know. Now, try to find a way to get that door open."_

Brigid looked over to a sparking control pad. Looking at her left hand, which was now bustling with electricity, she shot a blast of lightning at it. The door unlocked and lifted upwards, revealing a glass tunnel. Brigid took a deep breath before she entered it. She suddenly fell to the floor when the entire thing suddenly shook. She looked up just as the tail of the plane suddenly came crashing. Water immediately came rushing in and Brigid frantically made her way to the other side. Around her, the windows cracked and more water came rushing in. She jumped out of the tunnel just as the airlock door rose up.

Brigid barely had time to catch her breath when she heard what sounded like something skidding across the floor, along with footsteps.

_"Splicers!" _Atlas gasped, _"Give 'em the combo: zap 'em then whack 'em. One-two punch! Remember: one-two punch!"_

Brigid unleashed a blast of lightning upon the Splicer, briefly paralyzing him. She then slammed her wrench down on his skull, killing him. She then heard voices coming down the hall. There were more. She repeated the combo a few times as she fought her way through. She eventually reached an area with a elevator. A splicer that was literally on fire came running out and charged at her with an insane grin. Brigid zapped him before breaking his neck with the wrench. She stepped into a room with more elevators. Water was pouring in and she immediately raced over to the nearest elevator. The gate closed and it lifted upwards.

_"Listen. I've got a family. I need to get them out of here. But the splicers cut me off from them- if you can reach them in Neptune's Bounty, then maybe, just maybe- I know you must feel like the unluckiest woman in the world right now, but you're my only hope I'll ever see my wife and child again. Go to Neptune's Bounty...find my family...please."_

Brigid held the radio tightly as she gazed at the carnage outside. Fires everywhere and water pouring in. If this Atlas man says who he claims he is... She can't just abandon him. If she is his only way of reuniting with his family, he is her only way of escaping this hellish nightmare.

**X.X**

**Here's a quick bio on Pelageya:**

**Pelageya is the adopted daughter of Andrew Ryan, who he found wandering the streets of Rapture during it's early years. He felt pity towards her and decided to adopt her. Pelageya has since been very loyal to her adopted father. Even allowing herself to be transformed into the first Big Sister just to protect Ryan's biological child, Jack. She's 18 at this time. **

**By the way I'm making Atlas a separate guy from Fontaine. Meaning he is a real guy with an actual family. Why else hasn't he been saying "Won't you kindly"? **

**That little boy is definitely Jack Ryan. 4 years old actually :D. I did the math and he would've been four years old if he was born naturally.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Translation:**

**Moy rebenok: my child**

**Syn: son**

**Khorosho: good**

**X.X**

The elevator came to a stop. A chilling woman's voice filled the silence as soon as Brigid stepped out. She clutched her wrench tightly when she spotted the shadow of a woman hunched over a baby carriage. Brigid cautiously made her way over and saw that it was a splicer, singing to a gun as though it were an infant.

"_When your daddy's in the ground, mommy's gonna sell you by the pound. When your mommy's up and gone, you're gonna be the lonely one. When you are the lonely one, no one will be there to sing this song. Hush now... Mommy's gone...and daddy too. _Wait...this is happening before and not...why aren't you here? W-why is it today and not then when you were warm and sweet? Oh no, no no no no..." the female splicer broke into sobs of anguish.

Feeling a bit pitiful, Brigid shot the woman with lightning before striking her twice with the wrench. Brigid looked in the carriage and picked up the gun: a fully loaded Revolver.

_"Plasmids changed everything. They destroyed out bodies, our minds. We couldn't handle it. Best friends butchering one another, babies strangled in cribs. The whole city went to hell."_

Revolver at hand, Brigid entered _Kashmir Restaurant_. Decorations were still hung on the ceiling and posters covered the walls. Most of which showed a man wearing a rabbit mask. Confetti and party hats littered the floors and broken champagne bottles were present on the tables. There was a large broken window with a neon sign saying "Happy New Year: 1959". Brigid stopped and immediately ducked behind a table when she heard voices ahead. She crawled over to a flight of stairs and spotted a male and female splicer fighting with one another.

Taking aim, Brigid shot the male splicer. The female splicer stepped out of the room, obviously clueless as to what happened. Brigid took aim once more and fired two rounds. Brigid made her way down the stairs and, much to her disgust, scavenged the bodies for anything that might be of use. She found herself more pistol rounds and that was pretty much it. Small splashes and quiet whimpers were suddenly heard ahead. Brigid duck down and spotted two more splicers scouring in water.

_"If you spot a splicer in the water, hit 'em with the Electro Bolt." _Atlas instructed over the radio.

Brigid shot electricity at the water and both splicers were electrocuted. Brigid scavenged their charred bodies for anything useful but found nothing. Brigid continued her way through the plaza and eventually found what looked like an audio diary. "Diane McClintock..." Brigid mumbled the name to herself, though it sounded vaguely familiar in a way. She pressed "play". There was brief static before a Boston accent voice spoke though.

_"*Sigh* Another New Year's, another night alone. I'm out and you're stuck in Hephaestus, working. Imagine my surprise. I guess I'll have another drink... *brief pause* here's a toast to Diane McClintock, silliest girl in Rapture. Silly enough to fall in love with Andrew Ryan, silly enough to- *Gun shots, yelling and screaming are suddenly heard in the background* Wait...what happened... I'm bleeding...oh, god...what's happening.."_

The tape ended, leaving Brigid to question what happened that night. Judging by all the carnage and wreckage, there must've been a riot of some kind. She dropped the audio diary and continued her way. While walking up some steps she heard more splicers. With the Electro Bolt at the ready, she attacked.

...

"Papa?"

A man in his late forties, dressed in a tan suit with black shoes and a noticeable gray tie with a white undershirt, looked over to his child. Brown hair neatly groomed and hard blue eyes glittering slightly. "What is it, _moy rebenok_?" he asked gently. Jack walked over to his father with his big sister doll in his arms while Pelageya stood obediently where she was. The small boy looked up at his father with big, innocent brown eyes.

"Pelageya and I were talking while playing at your Amusements." he said.

Ryan raised his brow up slightly. "And?" he asked as he turned back to his paper work.

"Pelageya and I think we saw a parasite."

_Crash!_

Andrew Ryan knocked over his glass up of wine in surprise. Jack recoiled back slightly in fear. Ryan turned back to his son and the lines on his face softened when he noticed the fear in his brown eyes. "_Syn_..." he said gently as he wrapped his big hands around the child and lifting him off the ground. "I'm so sorry I scared you." he said as he placed him on his lap, "But are you sure it was a parasite?"

Jack slowly bobbed his head. Ryan now said nothing and smoothed his son's hair affectionately in deep thought. "I want you and Pelageya to stay away from this parasite, understand?" he said sternly.

"Yes Papa." Jack bobbed his head.

"_Khorosho_." Ryan placed his child down, "Now run along and play."

"Yes Papa."

...

Brigid cautiously made her way over to the women's, wrench raised. She decided to save her gun for later, since she was running out of amo. As she entered the wrecked bathroom, her vision suddenly went colorless and an apparition appeared in front of one of the sinks that were still intact.

_**"I'm too spliced up, too spliced up...now nobody's gonna want me..."**_

The apparition disappeared and Brigid's vision returned to normal. "Great. Now I'm seeing damn ghosts. These Plasmids must be getting to my head." Brigid said to herself. A splicer suddenly jumped out of one of the stalls and attacked her. Brigid screamed in surprise before blindly swinging her wrench against his face. The splicer crashed against the wall before falling to the floor. Brigid, panting, made her way out and over to the men's side. At the last stall she found a gaping hole in the wall.

_"Careful now..." _Atlas said cautiously over the radio as she made her way out, _"I need you to lower that weapon for a minute."_

Childish humming filled the room and Brigid slowly looked over the edge of the balcony. She spotted a little girl knelt on the floor stabbing a body with a needle similar to that of the Big Sister's. There was a spotlight shining down on the girl so it gave Brigid a better look.

The child was probably no more then six or seven years old. Her dark hair was tied into a braided ponytail and she wore what looked like a messy, worn out purple dress. But there was something different about her... Her skin looked a bit green and her eyes... Brigid slowly made her way over to the other side, not taking her horrified eyes off the child. Who could've done this to her?

_"You think that's a child down there?" _Atlas asked over the radio, _"Don't be fooled. She's a little sister now. Somebody went and turned a sweet baby girl into a monster. Whatever you thought about right and wrong on the surface, well that don't count for much down in Rapture. Those Little Sisters, they carry ADAM- the genetic material that keeps the wheels of Rapture turning. Everybody wants it. Everybody needs it."_

Brigid looked through the glass window separating her from the child. Placing her shaking hand on the glass, an overwhelming sense of guilt overcame her. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes until the door suddenly opened and a splicer entered the room. Her eyes widened in terror and she frantically started knocking on the glass.

"Little girl! Behind you!"

"Huh?" the girl looked up and gasped in horror once she saw Brigid. Only to have that fear replaced when she saw the splicer behind her. She screamed, earning her a blow to the head by the splicer.

"_Oi_! You leave her alone you sick bastard!" Brigid screamed as she continued banging on the glass. There was a sudden low roar coming from the balcony. Brigid snapped her head up and her eyes widened in terror. A rather large thing suddenly jumped and landed on the floor. It wore a diving suit, but it didn't look ordinary. Small barnacles and seaweed covered it in most places. There was a long, menacing drill replacing it's right hand. A red light flashed from the small circular windows on it's abnormally large head.

The child scurried to the creature's side in pure fear before it charged the now horrified splicer. Using it's left hand, it delivered a powerful punch and sent the splicer flying and crashing against the wall close to the glass window. Brigid's eyes widened in horror when it then picked up the splicer and drilled into his chest. Brigid immediately backed away when it grabbed his head and smashed him against the glass window before finally killing him.

_"That's the Big Daddy." _Atlas said, _"She gathers ADAM, he keeps her safe. Similar to how the Big Sister protects little Ryan."_

Brigid watched the two flee to the next room. Leaving her alone once more. The normally strong Belarus woman wrapped her arms around herself and whimpered in fear. This was starting to become too much for her. But why did she feel guilt when she saw the Little Sister for the first time?

Still shaken, she stumbled her way out and down the hall. Finding some shots for her Revolver after scavenging the dead splicers. She ran into some live ones when she entered a new area of the building. There was water around so she was able to electrocute most of them. As soon as she got to the lobby she found two entrances. She then grinned to herself when she found the one leading to Neptune's Bounty. Just as she made her way over, the gate suddenly slammed closed and red lights started flashing as an alarm went off.

**"SECURITY ALERT IN PROGRESS." **a feminine computer voice droned repeatedly over the speakers.

Splicers suddenly came storming on out of nowhere, surrounding her. Brigid quickly refuled herself with more Electro Bolt Plasmids before fighting off the splicers. All of which saying threatening things or calling her names. None of it intimidated Brigid the slightest and she easily defeated them all.

_"It's Ryan! Goddamn Andrew Ryan! He found us! Damnit! He's shut off access to Neptune...there's another way to get there...head to Medical! What are you waiting for? Go!" _Atlas yelled over the radio. Sounding desperate.

The gate to medical suddenly unlocked. Brigid dashed in, reloading her weapon as she ran. She was soon out of the flashing red lights and in a smaller room with televisions. The doors suddenly slammed shut around her and the power went out.

_"Ah, Christ! You're trapped...gonna try to override the exit from here!" _

The sound of a projector suddenly filled Brigid's ears. She spun around and noticed a flicker on a large screen behind a glass window. Briefly lightning up the room before going dark. The projector finally flickered on and the large black and white image of man appeared on screen. It was a close-up of his face, though his eyes were hidden underneath the rim of his hat. He spoke in a clear Russian accent that wasn't deep-pitched.

_"So tell me, friend, which one of the bitches sent you? The KGB wolf? Or the CIA jackal?" _he asked in a cold, smooth voice, _"Here's the news: Rapture isn't some sunken ship for you to plunder and Andrew Ryan isn't a giddy socialist who can be slapped around by government muscle. And with that, farewell, or __**Dasvadinya**__. Whichever you prefer." _

The clip ended and splicers suddenly started to swarm outside. Banging against the window like vicious animals going after their prey. Brigid backed away and pressed herself against the door, sweat running down her face. She won't be able to take all of them on. She doesn't have enough rounds to do so. And she was getting very exhausted. The glass started to crack. Brigid then heard her radio suddenly burst with life.

_"I got it..." _Atlas yelled, _"get out of there...get out now!"_

The door opened and Brigid immediately jumped in, frantically ran over and opened the next door and closing it just as the window shattered.

**X.X**

**Andrew Ryan's Russian, right? I've done my homework but I need to be sure.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Kudos to Scholar of Justice the help ;)**

**Kudos to Jet Set Radio Yoyo for taking the time leave a review. Glad you're enjoying the story ;)**

**X.X**

Brigid fell to the floor, panting. She could still hear the splicers pounding on the other door viciously, trying to get in. But she knew she won't have to worry about them for now. She wobbly got to her feet just as her radio came to life.

_"You alright, lass?" _Atlas asked, a hint of concern in that Irish voice of his.

"Yeah...I'm fine." Brigid replied.

_"Now you've met Andrew Ryan, the bloody King of Rapture. Now find your way to Emergency Access."_

Brigid left the tunnel and was greeted by a large poster of a smiling woman with a pink flower tucked above her ear. The words _Dr. Steinman's Cosmetic Enhancement _present below. The familiar feeling of _deja vu _hit Brigid again. She's heard that name somewhere before. Where was it...? The Belarus woman shook her head and dropped the thought from her head. She continued her way and found herself in the main lobby of the Medical Pavilion. The place was a complete wreck and the ceiling was glass. Recorded voices played over the PA, echoing thought the empty room.

Brigid walked over to the desk and bit her bottom lip when she saw the corpse of a nurse lying flat on the floor. She found another Audio Diary and saw that it belonged to the same woman: Diane McClintock. Picking the recorder up, she pressed play.

_"Dr. Steinman said he'd release me today. Ryan didn't come to see me since the New Year's attack. Not once. But Dr. Steinman was very attentive. He told me that once the scar tissue was gone, he was going to fix me right up. Make me prettier than any girl I've ever seen. He's sweet all right...and so interested in my case!"_

Ah, that's right. The man was very popular on the surface. Though his sudden disappearance left a sore mark on his friends and colleagues back home. From what she heard, one of them hired a private investigator just to find him. Is this where he's been all this time? Brigid made her way into the hospital. Her mind and body were on full alert when she heard the voices if splicers down a hall, but she didn't worry about it too much. She passed a desk when she saw another Audio Diary. This time it belonged to the doctor himself. Brigid wasn't hesitant to press "play".

_"Ryan and ADAM. ADAM and Ryan...all those years of study, and was I truly ever a surgeon before it met them? How we plinked away with our scalpels and toy morality. Yes, we could top a boil here, and shave down a beak there but...but could we really change anything? No. But ADAM gives us the means to do it. And Ryan frees us from the phony ethics that held us back. Change your look, change your sex, change your race. It's yours to change, nobody else's."_

The tape ended and Brigid continued her way. She soon found the Emergency Access Control and walked up the steps to approach it. Just as she pulled the switch... Everything turned red and an alarm blared. "ACCESS DENIED" appeared on the screens of televisions as a recorded voice spoke over the speakers. The chilling cackle of splicers stood out amongst the commotion and Brigid cocked her gun. Her radio came to life just as she ran down a hallway.

_"If you want to use the Emergency Access, you'll be needing Doctor Steinman's key. He's the one what runs this place. But I don't expect him to hand it to you out of the milk of human kindness. Steinman ain't that kind, and frankly, I'm not even sure he's still human."_

Brigid frowned. That _really _would've been nice to know sooner. She found another control panel-this one for the electricity. She pulled the switch down and the lights came buzzing. The gate for the door across from her opened and splicers came storming in.

_"Now you've rattled the monkey cage. Here they come."_

Brigid fired her Revolver and managed to take two splicers down separately. A splicer with a Tommy Gun suddenly up to her and was about to pull the trigger when she shot him with the Electro Bolt and then slamming her wrench down. She then replaced her Revolver with the now bloody Tommy Gun and shot at the remaining splicers. Most of which were former doctors and nurses. Reloading her new weapon, Brigid pressed forward the Pavilion.

She entered a corridor and the lights suddenly flickered off. Ahead of her she saw the white apparition of a woman desperately trying to pry the door open.

_**"You promised me pretty, Steinman, you promised me pretty... Now look at me... LOOK AT ME!"**_

The apparition vanished and the lights returned. Brigid slowly approached the door with carpet that said "Surgery" pointing at it. Holding her gun closely, she entered the next area.

_"You keep an eye peeled for Steinman. The daft bastard's set up shop in the surgery wing. You want to find him, just follow the blood."_

A light flickered on and off before finally staying on. Brigid felt a lump in her throat when she saw the posters of various women on the wall. Each with different parts tapped with it. As though someone had been rearranging them. On the floor, written in what is obviously blood, were words that didn't make much sense. On a table, covered in blood, was another Audio Diary belonging to the doctor. Brigid pressed "play".

_"ADAM presents new problems for the professional. As your tools improve, so do your standards. There was a time, I was happy enough to take off a wart or two, or turn a real circus freak into something you can show in the daylight! But that was then, when we took what we got, but with ADAM...the flesh becomes clay. What excuse do we have not to sculpt, and sculpt, and sculpt, until the job is done?"_

"I guess Atlas wasn't kidding when he said that plasmids changed everything." Brigid mumbled to herself. She pressed on, passing by various hospital beds getting fired upon by a security bot. Brigid got down and crouched behind a hospital bed.

_"Remember, all them machines will short out right and proper if you hit them with Electro Bolt!" _Atlas said.

Brigid shot up from her hiding spot and destroyed the security bot with a blast of electricity. Brigid ran into a few more as she made her way, but did the same thing. Chilling humming filled the room before a female splicer suddenly jumped out from the corner. Brigid shot and killed the splicer, only for more to come out from the doors around her. Luckily, it wasn't alot. Brigid went over to a nearby counter and hid behind it to reload her gun when she spotted a Audio Diary. This time it belonged to none other than Andrew Ryan. Curious, she pressed "play".

_"On the surface, the Parasite expects the doctor to heal them for free, the farmer to feed them out of charity. How little they differ from the pervert, who prowls the streets looking for a victim he can ravish for his grotesque amusement."_

Brigid placed the Audio Diary down as soon as she heard footsteps against the water. She stood up and stealthily made her way over before taking aim and shooting the splicer down with her Revolver. Brigid as she made her way through, once again she found a Audio Diary belonging to the doctor. Though it wasn't necessary for her to check every single one she finds, she was curious as to know what happened to these people.

_"I am beautiful, yes. Look at me, what could I do to make my features finer? With ADAM and my scalpel, I have been transformed. But is there not something better? What if now it is not my skill that falls me...but my imagination?"_

Brigid pressed on. She prayed that she didn't have to come face to face with the doctor himself. Memories of her time at a German concentration camp at the mere age of sixteen and all the experiments the doctors had done came flooding back. It was the experiments that actually started her love for science when she would correct the doctors whenever they did something wrong, although they would yell at her for it. She passed by a door. But to her surprise, a block of ice was blocking it.

"Shit..." she cursed to herself.

She searched around for anything that could melt the ice. She knew her wrench wouldn't do her any good. With no other option, she pressed over to a different part of the Pavilion. As she walked down a rather dark hallway, Atlas's voice suddenly came over the radio.

_"Security cameras. I can hear the internal things all around you. Ryan's eyes and ears."_

Brigid cautiously peeked out from the corner and spotted the red light of the camera scanning the area. In a swift movement, she shot it with the Electro Bolt, temporarily shutting it down. Brigid made her way through a series of halls and rooms, eventually coming upon one with a crawl space big enough for to fit in. She threw her gun in first before following it. Her bare hands and knees splashing against the cold water. She then heard the voice of Andrew Ryan suddenly blare through the speakers.

_"A parasite wanders the halls. We rebuild our city, and the doubters send a fly to spoil our ointment. One thousand ADAM to the man or woman who pins its wings."_

Brigid could immediately tell that this "parasite" is actually her. She then heard the rapid footsteps of splicers coming in her direction. She frantically looked around for another way out, only to find a Plasmids bottle on the floor. She picked it up and read the label: Incinerate.

_Bingo, _Brigid thought victoriously. She spun around when she suddenly heard pounding on the glass windows and saw a bunch of ADAM hungry splicers outside. All snarling and screaming threats at her. Brigid quickly injected herself with the new Plasmid and watched her left hand transform. Her entire hand turned into a charcoal black, while her veins and fingertips turned red as heat radiated off from her. With the snap of her fingers, the liquid trailing outside erupted into flames and all of the splicers burned to death.

_"All roads in Rapture lead to Ryan. The security, the splicers, the Big Daddies, the little sisters: he pumps some kind of chemical scent in the air, pheromones they call it, makes them all dance to his tune."_

Brigid waited for the flames to die out before crawling through the crawl space one more. She made her way back to the frozen door after fighting off some splicers. She snapped her fingers once more and the block of ice easily melted away. Brigid entered the new area: Twilight Field. Water poured from the ceiling and blood stained the floors. Lights flickered and walls were torn to shreds. It all gave off an eerie vibe even before the first splicer attacked.

Luckily she managed to find some ammo lying around and was able to take care of the splicers rather quickly. She then stepped into a dark room-only lit by one light bulb. The area gave Brigid chills. Blood completely stained the hospital beds and walls. A blood covered tub was present with a corpse in it. It must've been the embalming room. She approached a flooded hallway and saw rather distorted corpse float gently by like a leaf on a river. Brigid swallowed, remembering the German experiments. As quietly as she could, she made her way down.

She what looked like the shadow of a spliced doctor up ahead. Doing what? She didn't want to know. When she got closer, the light suddenly shut off. Brigid accidentally let out a gasp of surprise before the light suddenly flickered back on. To her horror, though, the shadow was gone. She peeked into the room, only to find nothing of good use. As she made her way back, the spliced doctor suddenly jumped from one of the cabinets used to hold bodies and attacked. Brigid screamed and fired her Tommy Gun repeatedly at the splicer.

Panting, she made her way out and back to the other floors. She discovered another frozen area on the lower levels. With the snap of her fingers, the ice melted into nothing but cold water. Brigid entered the new area with her loaded Tommy Gun still in her hands. She duck against a wall when the crimson light of a security camera nearly spotted her. She deactivated it and continued her way.

Brigid then noticed the familiar glint of an Audio Diary by a desk. But when she saw the name on the device, her heart nearly stopped.

Suchong.

Brigid immediately pressed "play".

The audio was slightly scratchy, but an Asian accent voice spoke through. _"Clinical Trial Lot 44 Dr. Suchong/Client for Fontaine Futuristics. Subject is white male, one Roland Wallace. Can you hear me, Mr. Wallace? *A voice replies* 'Yes sir, Mr. Suchong, sir.' Very well. I'm introducing Lot 44 now... We've codenamed Lot 44 'Enrage' because of its tendency to... *Screams and shouts are heard along with breaking glass* Nurse, hold him down...nurse! Nurse!"_

The tape ended with what sounded like destruction. But those names...

"Suchong, Fontaine, Suchong, Fontaine, why do I know these names?" Brigid asked herself, feeling a headache come through. Brigid placed her hand on her head as she pressed herself forward. Stumbling into another room, she looked down and spotted a shotgun lying beside a corpse.

**X.X**

**Sorry about adding all those Audio Diary entries x_x **


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: I just want to make something REALLY clear. If you have a problem with my grammar and spelling, please keep it to yourself. I am aware that my skills aren't very good, but I get distracted easily! It's not easy watching a Bioshock playthroughs and writing at the same time! I sometimes go back and fix some things. But please, people, cut me some slack and try to enjoy the fic as it is. Because I consider spelling and grammar criticism as Flaming in my book. If it's something about the game then it's fine. 'Cause I've never played Bioshock. **

**I know you're probably just trying to help me improve, and I'm thankful, but I can be really stubborn sometimes. I tend to see some things differently.**

**That is all.**

**X.X**

The suddenly lights shut off without warning just as Brigid picked up the Shotgun. A single spotlight focused Brigid was her only source of light. All around her, she heard footsteps, laughter, and splashing water. The Belarus woman cocked her gun as she spun around in every direction. A spliced nurse suddenly jumped out from the darkness, screaming maniacally.

Brigid fired the Shotgun and managed to kill the nurse instantly. She cocked her gun once more and fired again when a spliced doctor ran out from the darkness with a wrench in his hand. Splicers jumped or ran from the darkness, shot gun shells falling to the floor like flies. A splicer suddenly grabbed the barrel of the gun and attempted to yank it from Brigid's hands. It was a brief game of tug-of-war before Brigid accidentally pulled the trigger and hit the spotlight. All of the commotion came to a dead stop as soon as the light disappeared.

A glow from Brigid's left hand appeared. Glaring in the direction of where the remaining splicers were, she snapped her fingers. The splicers were immediately engulfed in flames, lighting up the dark room in a dark red-orange light. Screams of anguish filled the room temporarily until the last splicer dropped dead on the floor. All of the lights came back on. Brigid stood were she was, panting. Shotgun clenched in one hand with blood staining her skirt and tan blazer jacket. After quickly scavenging the bodies, Brigid left the area in a somewhat dazed trance.

Brigid trudged her way out of the area before collapsing. From there she felt something wet trail down her cheek. She used a finger to catch it. It was a tear. More soon followed, all hitting the algae covered floor. She hasn't cried since she was separated from her family when the Nazis came into her village. Brigid allowed the tears to fall as she sobbed quietly.

There suddenly static on the radio.

_"Are you alright there, Lassy?" _Atlas asked worriedly.

"No..." Brigid replied over the radio speaker, "It's becoming too much for me, Atlas. It's all just too much..."

_"Hey now, don't you start crying on me just yet. I'm gonna get ya out of this alive. As soon as I'm reunited with my family, we're all getting out of this hellhole. So keep that head held high and wipe those tears away. We've got a doctor to visit." _

The ghost of a smile appeared on Brigid's lips as the last of her tears went away. "Thank you Atlas. You sure have a way with words." she said. There was a light laugh over the radio.

_"Yeah, well, what can I say? We're all in this together."_

Brigid nodded and got back on her feet. Those words of Atlas's really did help in a way. She kept her shotgun out as she made her way down a corridor. A poster with a pair of teeth was present on the wall. This obviously must've been the dental part of the building. She explored the area a bit and found some shotgun rounds.

What she saw next was the least expected thing she thought she would find: a Tennis area. With it, a Gatherers Garden machine. She approached it and picked up the red jug. _Telekinesis _is what it read. "The ability to control objects with your mind..." Brigid murmured to herself. Taking a deep breath, she snapped her left wrist and injected the Plasmid into her veins. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, though.

A sudden _whirr _from the tennis ball machine behind suddenly caused her to turn around and raise her hand just as a tennis ball came flying at her. An invisible field of energy surrounded the ball, causing it to share slightly in the air. Brigid blinked and fired the ball back. The ball bounced off against the walls a bit before smashing into the window portion of a door. Brigid smiled by what she had just accomplished. With Telekinesis at hand, she continued her way.

She made her way through a series of rooms, encountering splicers along the way. She eventually had to switch out her shotgun with her Tommy Gun. She will have to admit, some of these splicers were beginning to get on her nerves. She found their constant sobbing and such very annoying. It would explain why she wasn't having much trouble killing them without remorse. Though she did remind herself that these splicers were once normal human beings. A chilling question suddenly came into mind.

Will she become a splicer as well?

Brigid didn't want to think about it. She entered the tunnel that would take her to the Surgery ward. She was greeted by the soothing cry of a whale outside. It was relaxing and calming in ways that really helped Brigid relax her nerves. The relaxation suddenly disappeared when a voice came over the television.

_"With genetic modifications, beauty is no longer a goal, or even a virtue. It is a moral obligation. Do we force the healthy to live with the contagious? Do we mix the criminal with the law-abiding? Then why are the plain allowed to mingle with the fair?"_

It was the Doctor's voice. But that wasn't all. Brigid was dead silent when she heard a low moaning sound coming from the other tunnel leading into the Surgery ward. She spotted a Little Sister happily skipping along with a Big Daddy not far behind her. Brigid gulped and prayed that she wouldn't have to run into them. After seeing what that Big Daddy did to that splicer... Brigid clutched her gun even tighter then before and continued her way.

Brigid was greeted by a wall with two posters as soon as she entered the building. The posters themselves had different parts tapped to them. But that wasn't all. Behind the wall she could hear a voice muttering questions to themselves.

"Why do we have two eyes? There's a law that says we must. Two arms, legs, ears."

Brigid stepped out and, crouched under a spotlight, was a man dressed in a blood red surgeon uniform. The man looked up and let out a surprised gasp as soon as he saw Brigid. The man shot up to his feet at record speed and immediately bolted to the doors leading to Surgery. Brigid attempted to run after him but stopped when the doors suddenly exploded and debris covered the entrance.

_"You'll have to find some way to get through to surgery...and to Steinman. Chin up, now. The Lord hates a quitter."_

Brigid heard something coming towards her and looked up just in time to see an explosive coming her way. She used her telekinesis and fired back at the thrower.

_"I can hear that splicer sounding off like it's the 4th of July. Use the Telekinesis plasmid you found earlier and turn the tables for that bastard. Maybe you can use the explosives to clear the path as well."_

Brigid nodded and grabbed another explosive thrown at her. This time she used it to clear the path to surgery. Another one was thrown and she used it to finally take care of the splicer. She entered another area and was greeted by the sickening sight of a female splicer's corpse sitting on a wheelchair with a frozen expression of terror on her face. In front of it was another Audio Diary.

_"Today I had lunch with the Goddess. ' Steinman.' she said... 'I'm here to free you from the tyranny of the commonplace. I'm here to show you a new kind of beauty.' I asked her, 'What do you mean, goddess?' 'Symmetry, my dear Steinman. It's time we did something about symmetry...'"_

The audio log ended and Brigid shivered. It appears that the good Doctor really has succumb to madness. Like the doctors at the concentration camps, he preformed experiments. Brigid continued here way and eventually found the madman at the end of a hall. He didn't look too happy. He yelled something at the security bots before fleeing once more. Brigid duck down as soon as the machines started firing at her. She switched to the Electro Bolt plasmid and managed to deactivate the machine. She made her way down the slightly flooded hallway with caution.

She noticed another Audio Diary floating above the water. She quickly snatched it up and pressed 'play'. The Doctor's slightly mad voice came through.

_"Aphrodite is walking the halls - shimmering, like a scalpel... 'Steinman,' she calls, 'Steinman! I have what you're looking for! Just open your eyes!' And when I see her, she cuts me into a thousand beautiful pieces."_

_Aphrodite, _Brigid thought to herself_, The Goddess of beauty, love and sexuality. _

Now this doctor really has gone mad. Any chance in regaining his sanity is now long lost. Brigid continued her way through the foyer, feeling tension swell in her chest. She approached the door labeled 'Viewing Room' and stepped in. The steps were stained with both old and fresh blood. Making her feel a bit sick to her stomach. She slowly stepped into the wide area and noticed a single wall with three wide glass windows. Behind them she saw the doctor looking over a female splicer that was strapped to a surgery table. The doctor didn't seem to notice her slowly approach and watch him preform his 'surgery' on the still fully conscious splicer with a look of sheer horror and disgust.

"What can I do with this one, Aphrodite? She WON'T. STAY. STILL!" Steinman stabbed the splicer repeatedly, "I want to make them beautiful, but they always turn out wrong!" the man sounded as though he was close to sobbing. He then shot his left arm upwards and a spotlight switched on. Brigid had to fight back a scream when she saw the splicer strapped up, looking like a bloody mess.

"That one...too fat!" he cried. He then shot both his arms over to his right. Another spotlight switched on, revealing hideously lengthened splicer strapped up in a bloody mess as well, "This one...too tall!" He then spun around and shot both his arms up to the third and final strapped splicer. The third spotlight switched on and Brigid felt close to vomiting. It revealed a splicer that looked as though she had been sawed in half and then rearranged to make the bottom part face the other way. Her arms and legs in a similar fashion. Blood stained the entire corpse and platform. "This one...too symmetrical!" he finished his sentence by suddenly stabbing the splicer he had on the bed.

"And now-" he suddenly stopped and looked up towards the window, "What's this, goddess?" A horrified expression suddenly appeared on his face he saw Brigid, who was too stunned by what she just saw to react quickly. "An intruder!" he cried, "She's ugly! Ugly, ugly, UGLY!" The Doctor screamed as he pulled out a Tommy Gun from underneath the bed and opened fired on the window.

Brigid screamed and immediately got down as the bullets shattered the glass. Using both her hands to shield her head. She then scrambled back on her feet and fired back. Running through the doorway and entering the room. The Doctor screamed insults at her as he continuously fired bullets at her with blinding rage. Brigid immediately switched to the Incinerate plasmid and aimed at the Doctor. Steinman screamed in pain when his body was suddenly engulfed in flames. But that didn't stop him so easily he continued shooting at Brigid, who brought out her shotgun and fired three rounds on the burning man. Steinman let out a horrifying, anguished scream before finally falling dead on the floor.

Brigid slowly approached the Doctor's charred body. Nudging him with the barrel of her shotgun to make sure he was actually dead. Brigid let out a sigh of relief when the he didn't respond. She quickly scavenged his body and was even more pleased when she found the Emergency Access Key.

_"You all right? It was time somebody took care of that sick bastard. Head back to Emergency Access. I'm working my way to the back side of Port Neptune meself. We'll get there soon enough." _Atlas said over the radio.

Brigid got up walked over to the doorway leading out of the room. Not even giving Steinman's corpse a second glance.

...

It was unusually quiet as Brigid made her way out of the foyer. It wasn't until she heard a loud, muffled noise coming from the other side of the air lock door.

_"Sounds like another tunnel collapse. Welcome to Rapture, the world's fastest growing pile of junk."_

Brigid smirked slightly at the humor. When she stepped into the tunnel, she fell on her knees. An unrecognizable headache suddenly appeared in her head, causing her to grab both sides of it like a madman. Images of her in back in her lab in America came flashing by like a short film. As soon as it ended, her headache was gone.

"What the hell was that about?" she asked herself as she stood up. She's never had flashbacks before. Wanting to shrug it off, Brigid continued her way down the tunnel. When she was nearing the air lock door she originally came in from, she noticed that the second door was open. The inside looked like a wreck. She heard grunting coming from inside and approached. She didn't walk far before reeling back in horror when the flaming body of a Big Daddy suddenly crashed against the wall. The horrified screams of a little girl quickly following.

Brigid ran over and spotted the Little Sister weeping. The girl looked up and stared at Brigid with terrified glowing yellow eyes before screaming and running.

_"It's a Little One... Here's your chance to get some ADAM."_

Brigid was dismayed by how causal Atlas spoke. "Hey! Wait!" Brigid called out before following after her. She stepped into a wide open room and spotted the little girl backing away from a male splicer.

"...it's just you, me, and all of the tasty ADAM I can drink..." the splicer cackled wickedly as he approached the frightened child with a bloodied wrench in his hands. The girl screamed and fell to the floor, raising her hands to shield herself as the splicer raised the wrench high to deliver the fatal blow.

"_Oi!_" Brigid raised her Shotgun, "Get away from her before I blast you straight to hell!"

There was a loud gunshot and the splicer dropped his wrench.

"Huh?" Brigid lowered her gun in confusion.

The splicer reeled around and looked up at one of the balconies in horror. Another gunshot was heard and the splicer fell dead on the floor.

"Stay away from her or it's you who will be shot next..." a woman dressed in a bloodied white collared dress-with a long black skirt-standing on one of the balconies with a pistol pointed directly at her. Her hair was jet black and she held a clear look of anger on her face. Brigid could barely make out the pendant that was present around her neck. Though she couldn't make out what the print on it was.

Brigid immediately lowered her gun. "I-I... Uh..." she stammered for words to say.

_"Easy now, Elizabeth." _Atlas said over the radio, _"She's just looking for a wee bit of ADAM, just enough to get by..."_

Elizabeth scowled and pointed her pistol directly at Brigid once more. "I will not have her hurt the Little Ones!" she yelled.

_"It's okay, lass. That's not a child, not anymore it ain't. Some crazy Doctor saw to that."_

Brigid looked over to the whimpering child. She took a step forward, but the girl ran away. She snapped her attention back up to Elizabeth, who had lowered her weapon and held a pleading look on her face.

"Please, don't hurt her!" Elizabeth begged, "Don't you have a heart?"

_"Aye, that's some pretty sermon coming from the stranger who just suddenly appeared in Rapture in the first place. Listen to me, lass, I don't like the idea of having to kill a child either, but you won't survive without the ADAM those...things...are carrying. Are you prepared to trade your life, the lives of my wife and child for one of those little creatures?"_

"I..." Brigid approached the Little Sister, who was now crouched down in fear.

"Here!" Elizabeth yelled.

Brigid turned around and noticed a Plasmid bottle in her hand. Brigid caught it with both hands when she tossed it to her.

"There is another way...use this, free them from their torment...I will make it worth your while...somehow."

Brigid turned back to the Little Sister, who was now on the brink of tears. Brigid's mind raced with what she should choose. When she got closer, the girl fell and backed away from her until she was pressed against an old luggage case. Her chest heaved up and down in panic as she stared at Brigid with wide, horrified yellow eyes. Brigid's palms started to sweat. Will it really be worth taking the life of this...thing, just for ADAMS? No child should suffer like this one. The nicest thing she could do is end her misery. But...

She looked down at the plasmid bottle Elizabeth had given her. Is there really a chance to save her? Brigid closed her eyes briefly before snapping them open once more. She knelt down and picked up the girl. The Little Sister squirmed in her firm grip as she raised her right hand.

"NO!" the girl screamed, "NO, NO, NO!"

**X.X**

**O_O**

**Will she harvest the Little Sister...? By the way, Brigid will NOT be turned into a splicer. And look! Elizabeth from Burial at Sea is here!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: Okay. Maybe I overreacted a little too much in the last chapter. So for that, I apologize. Scholar of Justice, you have a pretty good point. And I know you were only giving me constructive criticism and I appreciate it. And I'm glad you liked the last chapter, but I can't confirm all the other chapters will be the same. I try my best.**

**That is all.**

**X.X**

A heavenly colored light light up Brigid's veins. In a slowly, gentle movement, she caressed the child's head. A bright light enveloped the girl, causing Brigid to place her back down. The light vanished and what replaced the Little Sister stood a healthy looking seven year old with dark brown hair. The girl dusted her faded purple dress before looking up at Brigid with grateful eyes.

"Thank you." she said, doing a cute little bow, "You saved me."

Brigid smiled. "I would never bring myself to hurt you Little Ones." she said gently.

The girl smiled up at her happily before running over to one of the holes in the wall. The girl struggled a bit, but managed to climb up and disappear in it. Brigid then turned back to the balcony where Elizabeth stood, only to find that she was gone. Her radio crackled a bit before her voice suddenly spoke through.

_"The path of the righteous isn't always easy. The reward will become clear in time...be patient."_

Brigid honestly didn't care about the award. She only saved the child because she knew it was the right thing to do. Her radio crackled again, this time it was Atlas who spoke through.

_"Those things may look like wee little girls, but looks don't make it so. You'll need all of the ADAM you can get to survive." _there was a brief pause, _"But perhaps there is a chance in saving those little things."_

...

Standing on another balcony, watching Brigid as she left the area, a well dressed man with red hair spoke.

"So it seems she does have a chance in her."

"So it seems." a well dressed woman standing beside him agreed, "But it is also too early to tell."

"Yes. Yes it is." the man agreed.

...

Brigid just re-entered the Medical Pavilion building when she heard the low, eerie moan of a Big Daddy nearby. She cocked her Shotgun.

_"You're ready now...it's time to take on one of them Big Daddies. It won't be easy, but it's the only way to get to the Little Sisters...and the ADAM they carry."_

Brigid duck behind a wall and pulled out her Revolver. Slowly peeking out, she raised her weapon and fired a few rounds on the Big Daddy's side and face. The green light that shone from his face suddenly changed into a dangerous red. At frightening speed, the Big Daddy charged the wall Brigid was hiding behind. Brigid immediately rolled out of the way just as the Big Daddy came crashing in.

"Get her Mr. Bubbles!" she heard the Little Sister yell.

Brigid swiftly injected herself with the Electro Bolt plasmid and struck the Big Daddy with a blast of lightning. The Big Daddy stood paralyzed for a few seconds before charging once more in full fury. Brigid screamed when she felt the tip of the rusty drill slash through her shirt and against her fragile skin, leaving a clean, thin cut. Brigid fired her Shotgun at the Big Daddy four to five times before the giant being finally fell dead on the floor. The lights in it's helmet flickered to green for a second before turning dark.

"Mr. Bubbles!" the Little Sister cried as she ran over to the fallen Big Daddy's side before bawling, "Mr. Bubbles!" The child then screamed when Brigid grabbed her around the waist and picked her off the floor. "NO! NO, NO, NO!" the girl screamed.

Brigid ignored the child's struggling and preformed the same movement she did to the first Little Sister she cured earlier. The same event occurred and the child returned to normal.

"Thank you." the girl said, "Thank you."

Brigid smiled as she watched the girl run off down a hallway and into a hole. She then lifted her skirt up to see the damage left behind by the Big Daddy. She inhaled air through her teeth when she saw the cut. But thankfully it didn't look too bad. She reloaded her gun and made her way back to Emergency Access.

_"Are you almost back to Emergency Access?" _Atlas asked, _"Come through as soon as you get there. You got Ryan's eye now. You won't hear him coming...but he'll be there before you know it."_

Brigid made it pass the Medical Pavilion Foyer before entering Emergency Access. Taking out the red key she took from Steinman's body, she inserted it in the key slot before pulling the lever up. The red light vanished and the TV screens flickered back on.

_"Security alert deactivated. Thank you for your patience!" _a cheery recorded female voice said over the PA.

_"I don't know how you managed it, but you did. Come through to Port Neptune now. I'm looking forward to shaking your hand." _

Brigid smiled a bit before climbing the steps and walking to the next room. Waiting there was an open Bathysphere. Holding her gun tightly, Brigid stepped into the Bathysphere and took a seat on one of the plush seats. As the sphere submerged itself into the sea water, Brigid slouched in her seat.

She felt exhausted. Her entire body ached. She was just tempted to lay on the seat and take a nice long nap. But she knew she couldn't. Not when Atlas is depending on her to save his family. The Bathysphere soon reached its destination and Brigid stood up. Break time was over. When the spehre stopped, Brigid was greeted by a grisly scene: a man, or splicer, was strung up against a wall by his wrists neck. The word "Smuggler" written in blood above him.

_"Now you've had the pleasure of Andrew Ryan's company. He's the one who built this place, and he's the one who run it into the ground. Nobody knows exactly what happened. Maybe he went mad. Maybe the power got to him. Maybe he decided he didn't like people. Whichever way you slice it, good men died. Me family's in a submarine hidden in the foundation of Fontaine Fisheries. I'll meet you there."_

Brigid winced slightly at the mention of Fontaine. Why did she have the gut feeling that she knew this man from somewhere? Where she and Fontaine acquainted on the surface a long time ago? So long that she's forgotten? And what about this Suchong man? Why did she have the feeling she knew him as well. The Belarus woman shook her head, hoping to clear her mind of it. She needed to concentrate on saving Atlas's family first.

Brigid made her way up the steps and down a wrecked hall before stopping when she noticed the arched shadow of a splicer on the wall ahead.

"What crawls in my garden?" the female splicer hissed.

Brigid held out her Tommy Gun at the ready, approaching the spot with caution. As soon as she touched the water, the shadow suddenly disappeared up the ceiling. Chills shot down Brigid's spin and a sense of fear crept in. The small area she now walked in was lit up by a small fire. She looked up and noticed a large hole in the ceiling. Not wanting to wait around for the splicer the return, she ran into the next room.

"But the days go by like wind..."

_Shit, _Brigid thought. The voice was coming from the ceiling, so this splicer could jump down at any time. She quickly entered the next room, which was much large then the other two. She immediately ran into the entrance of Fontaine Fisheries. The place itself wasn't a bad wreck. But it was covered with splicers. Brigid fought her way though them, having to reload her weapons countless times.

"Who can blame a lady who craves variety?" it was the same bloody splicer from before.

This splicer was beginning to get on Brigid's nerves. The Belarus woman continued her way through the building. Her boots hitting against the wooden floorboards. Making rather loud _creaking _noises. The scent of sea water and rotting fish filled her nostrils, making her feel a bit sick. She eventually found a Machine Gun and some rounds to go with it. The machine gun reminded Brigid of the gun the German forces had at the camp she had been in during the war. She entered a large area. This time it was surprisingly empty.

She came across an old audio diary labeled Sullivan.

_"We're putting all the Bathyspheres in lockdown until further notice. Ryan had us install some kinda genetic device into the things so only Ryan and his inner circle will be able to use 'em without dispensation. But the boys tell me the keys are pretty unreliable. Sisters, cousins-anybody in the ballpark genetically will be able to come and go as they see fit."_

Brigid could only guess that by the authoritative feel in his voice, this Sullivan must've some sort of security person for Rapture. Every city must have security of some sorts. Right? A loud explosion was heard, followed by the angered moan of a Big Daddy. Brigid spun around just in time to see a group of splicers attacking a Big Daddy. The splicers were shooting and throwing grenades at the Big Daddy until it fell on the floor. Dead.

"Mr. B!" the Little Sister wailed.

A splicer slowly snuck up from behind the weeping child, slowly raising his pipe before dropping it. Brigid fired the Machine Gun again and managed to kill the splicer. From there she finished off the remaining splicers and rescued the Little Sister.

_"You have shown kindness to the Little Ones..." _Elizabeth's voice spoke through the radio, _"But are you really a friend to us? Regardless, a child will bring you a gift to demonstrate our appreciation."_

Brigid smiled softly. They really didn't need to reward her for this. But might as well accept it if Elizabeth is truly keeping her word. Brigid entered through the door with the sign saying _Rapture Metro _above it. But when she stepped through she was greeted by a surprise. Resting against the wall was a teddy bear with present in its arms. Brigid looked around to see if anyone was around. No one.

Brigid knelt down and removed the lid of the present. She leaned back and placed her both her hands over her mouth in surprise when she saw what was inside: 200 ADAM, 12 Armor-pArmor-piercing Pistol Rounds, and a Plasmid called Hypnotize Big Daddy.

"Thank you..." she whispered gratefully. Brigid took a moment to keep herself from crying a bit before standing up. Just as she was about to continue her way, something else caught her eye. It was another Audio Diary, but this time it belonged to someone called Pelageya. "Pelageya!" Brigid gasped. She remembered Jack calling the Big Sister that was with him Pelageya. Brigid immediately pressed "play". A sixteen year old English accent girl's voice spoke through.

_"I think Fontaine is up to no good. Just the other day, I spotted him entering Suchong's lab. Ever since he turned Plasmids into products for people to use, things haven't been the same for Father's city. And then those Little Sisters and their Big Daddies walking around. It gives me shivers every time I see them when I practice violin at Frolic. Anyway, maybe I should tell Sullivan to keep a close eye on Fontaine for a while..."_

"So Fontaine and Suchong met." Brigid whispered to herself, "But for what?"

**X.X**

**Sorry about the OOC Atlas up there. But I figured that since I'm having him as a separate character, and with him being a father himself, he wouldn't be so hateful towards Little Sisters. And would possibly believe that there could still be hope for them.**

**Bio on Pelageya: Pelageya is actually English (British) but Ryan renamed her when he adopted her. She was also a violinist until she became a Big Sister at sixteen years of age. The audio diary was made way before that, though.**


	7. Chapter 7

And one day the gentlemen stopped calling..."

Brigid shivered slightly at the chilling tone in the splicer's voice. She made her way over to the door that officially led into Fontaine Fisheries. There was a spot present in the center, big enough for anyone to look through. Brigid knocked on the door with her hand. But didn't get a response. She took out her wrench and gave the door three hard knocks. The slot opened and a welding mask greeted her.

"Atlas radioed on ahead, says you were looking for an invite to the fisheries. Nuts, I say. But lil'n you heads up to the wharf master's office and find of Peach a research camera, maybe I could manage an invite..." Peach spoke in an old, almost hushed tone.

"What do you mean, exactly?" Brigid asked.

Humming was suddenly heard from above. Brigid barely had time to react when a spliced suddenly jumped down from the ceiling with glowing hooks in both hands. Brigid immediately fired her Tommy Gun at the raging splicer.

"You hold tightly." Peach remarked from behind the door, "I'm sending something fierce to watch your back. A security bot suddenly came flying in and chased the splicer up through the rafters. A loud scream was heard before it was replaced with deafening silence. "That one's too tough for you. Look on the conveyer belt, you'll find something to keep you alive. Now go get that camera and then snapshots of on those that crawls on the ceiling... Then I'll let you in to the fisheries. Just remember," he warned, "lassy friend: I smell an ounce of Fontaine on you, and I'll have you in a box! Atlas gives you the vouch, but I ain't turning my eye just on his say so!"

The metal slot slammed shut.

_"Grown man, jumpin' at ghost." _Atlas said through the radio, _"Fontaine's dead and everybody knows it. In the ground for months, and half the place still jumping at his shadow...Christ, even Ryan. You never mind all that. We got work to do."_

Brigid made her way down the dark corridor with her Tommy Gun fully reloaded. Though Peach's words repeated themselves in her head. What did he mean that he smelled an ounce of Fontaine on her? She didn't even know the man! Or so Brigid knew.

_"Seems like ol' Peach knows where to find a research camera. He seems a decent enough sort. No doubt he'll wait until after you've done his errands to stick a shivers in your belly."_

"If you're trying to help, Atlas, it's not working." Brigid said with a hint of annoyance. She heard a laugh over the radio. Brigid stepped into a hall she's been to before jumping back when bullets suddenly whizzed by. Brigid fired back with her Machine Gun and managed to kill the small group of splicers that were there. "Fuck." Brigid cursed to herself when she saw that her path was blocked. She looked around for another way and only spotted a hole on the floor.

She knew what she had to do.

Sighing in reluctance, Brigid slipped herself into the hole and crawled on all fours above the rubble and dirt. She crawled underneath the grates that made up most of the floor. Slipping underneath some splicers as well. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted something black and glinting underneath the light. It was an Audio Diary.

_"Something must be done about Fontaine." _Ryan's voice spoke through, _"While I was buying buildings and fish futures, Pelageya told me she saw him cornering the market on genotypes and nucleotide sequences. Rapture is transforming before my eyes. The Great Chain is pulling away from me. For both my children's well being, perhaps it's time to give it a tug." _

Ryan's voice had lowered into a dangerous tone when he finished. She crawled out through another hole and walked up a short flight of rusted steel stairs. The entire place itself was dead silent, aside from the soft humming of nearby by machinery. Brigid walked up another flight of stairs and turned a corner. There she found a bronze door. Brigid stepped into the short hallway once the door lifted and steeped through another bronze door.

She found herself in the upper wharf of the factory. Crates of all sizes and lengths stacked above one another. She heard a loud scream before the body of a splicer suddenly flew by and crashed against the wall. Another scream was heard, followed by a distorted screech. There was a sickening sound of ripping meat and snapping bones before the screams fell dead silent.

"You turned one of the bad splicers into an angel, Pelageya!" a little boy's voice said excitedly.

"Jack..." Brigid whispered. She didn't need to look to confirm her suspicions.

"Let's go see the fishies, Big Sister."

Brigid cautiously peeked out just in time to see both child and Big Sister suddenly vanish before her eyes. Brigid didn't waste any time pondering on what just happened and immediately scrambled over to a locked fence. She used her wrench to break the rusty lock key lock and chains holding the door together before running in. She scavenged the lower level and managed to find some rounds for her Machine Gun and an Audio Diary by Andrew Ryan.

_"This Fontaine fellow is somebody to watch. Once, he was just a menace, to be convicted and hung. But he always manages to be where the evidence isn't. He's the most dangerous type of hoodlum...the kind with visions."_

Brigid ran up the long flight of stairs and eventually made it to the top. There was an old carpet leading to a set of doors leading to the Wharf Master's Office.

_"The research camera looks just like one you'd see topside. According to this magazine article I scrounged up, it can also analyze genetic information, parse biological structures and lots of other five dollar words."_

...

Chilling singing greeted Brigid when she finally entered the Interrogation Room. Separated by a glass window, rocking under a flickering light, was a disoriented splicer who was obviously to Brigid's presence. Brigid's eyes shined like stars when she spotted the camera sitting on the desk.

"Finally!" the Belarus woman immediately picked up the camera and examined it closely. If this camera really does what Atlas says it does, then perhaps she should get one for herself.

_"Good, you got the camera." _Peach's hushed voice spoke through the radio, _"Now get me some snap snaps on those spider splicers! And don't come back down here 'till you got my research! I want three snapshots in total."_

Brigid turned her attention over to the splicer in the other room. She didn't even know there were different types of splicers. She held the camera to her face and snapped a photograph. The splicer cried out by the blinding flash and scrambled up the wall and into an air event. "One down, two to go." Brigid sighed before exiting out of the room with camera at hand. She made her way through a large hole in the wall and climbed down into the large room that had been blocked off.

Above the door was a large sign showing a man ready to fight with the head of a chicken. She stepped into the dark room with her Tommy Gun out.

_"You have the Research Camera? Good. Guess it's time to get to work for ol' Peachy. Take the man's pictures, and let's get the hell out of this place..."_

...

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

The metal was swiftly pulled away and Peach peeked out through the slot. Brigid stood in front of the door looking a bit like a mess. Her jacket, skirt, and face were covered in a bit more blood and dirt. Bits of hair were sticking up from her ponytail and looked slightly messy.

"The wharf rat didn't get herself it. You got something for me and my crew, or are you just looking to get criticised? You set here a spell. I needs to set on some coffee, maybe push on silverware and the like."

"Just open the _damn _door." Brigid said. She wasn't in the mood for any more of Peach's crap. After all of the trouble she went through just to get the man some damn pictures. At least she did manage to save two Little Sisters along the way. Peach's smirked behind his mask before closing the slot.

_"Before you head into the Fisheries, a word to the wise. Ol' Peachy seems about as straight as a dog's hind leg. You keep your eyes open." _Atlas warned.

The door slid open and a blast of cold air struck Brigid's sweaty body. It felt good against her face. Just as she entered the small room, her radio suddenly came to life.

_"Nobody walks into my swampy carrying the heat." _Peach snapped through the radio, _"Put your weapons in the pneumo, and then I'll let you in."_

"You're kidding me." Brigid groaned.

_"If that's his price, you're gonna have to pay it." _Atlas sighed, _"But he can't very well take your plasmids away, now can he?"_

Brigid perked up a bit. Atlas had a good point. Peach didn't say anything about having to relinquish her plasmids. Brigid placed all of her guns and ammo on the floor before injecting herself with the Incinerate plasmid. With only her wrench in hand, she stepped into the next room. The place was cold. Too cold for comfort. The lights suddenly dwindled and a blue haze fogged her vision. The light snapped back on and splicers appeared out from every corner. Brigid burned, electrified, and smashed her way through the many splicers until the last one was lying dead by her feet. One of the doors then hissed open just as her radio crackled to life with Atlas's voice.

_"The submarine bay was only used by smugglers and thieves. More than likely, the entrance will be hidden, better to keep the coppers off the scent."_

Brigid made her way down the hall. Cold blue steam blowing from the frozen pipes and brushed against her ponytail and bangs. The cold reminded her of the harsh winters she spent at the concentration camp during the war. Despite her usefulness during the experiments, she was giving little blankets like the other prisoners. It was a miracle that she was able to survive during those harsh winters. A thought suddenly came into mind.

Did anyone notice the plane crash by now? Surely someone on the mainland would've noticed that the flight destined for Germany didn't arrive as expected. The pilots must've sent some kind of distress single out there before crashing. She also wondered if anyone would come looking for the crash site. She then thought of her father. She was flying to Germany for a surprise visit on his birthday. She had the gift wrapped and everything. It was a box of his favorite cigar brand. He would've loved it if it hadn't been lost at sea along with the rest of the plane. She wondered if she'll ever see the aging man ever again. He was, after all, the only family she had left that survived the brutality of the camp.

She picked up one of the splicer's Tommy Gun before stepping into a large freezer. Large fish hanging on hooks watched her silently as she looked around the area. Atlas noted that the entrance must be hidden. "If I were smuggler...where would I have the entrance?" Brigid asked herself.

She noticed a large block of ice that seemed out of place. Snapping her fingers, the ice instantly melted and a large crawl space was revealed. Brigid smiled victoriously.

_"You got it!" _Atlas cried joyfully, _"Should be smooth sailing from here. I'll meet you up ahead!"_

Brigid grinned happily before she made her way through the crawl space and into the narrow hallway.

**X.X**

**I would like to apologize because this has GOT to be the SLOWEST chapter I've written for this fic so far. That's why I skipped some parts. But as an award for enduring the torture of having to read this possibly boring chapter, here's some ADAM! :D**

***Throws out ADAM***


	8. Chapter 8

Water leaked from the stone ceiling and pipes rattled on the walls. Brigid made her way through the narrow passage, ducking her head under a few times from the pipes. Brigid suddenly fell on her knees and the overwhelming headache she felt before suddenly returned. Images of her younger adult self standing behind a table with some sort of slug came flashing by.

Slug? She didn't remember doing anything with a slug.

Brigid pushed herself back up cleared her mind for a bit. This was the second time she was having these flashbacks. She shook her head and continued her way. Perhaps she'll have her answers soon. Maybe Atlas might know something?

_"I'm outside the submarine bay, but I can't get in. I'll need you for that. My family can't be more than a hundred yards away."_

"I'm on my way." Brigid replied over the radio. She picked up her pace, but she was having a bit of trouble with that because the water was up to about her waist. She finally found a ramp leading up to higher ground and she ran up. Her skirt and legs completely soaked with water. Brigid quickly took the time to remove her boots just to dump out the water that flooded. After putting them back on, she spotted an Audio Diary leaning against a crate. This one was labeled Frank Fontaine.

_"Spent the morning jawing with that Kraut scientist." _a Boston accent voice drawled through the small speaker, _"She's damaged goods, all right. Just like those chumps they scraped out of them prison camps. But she's no crackpot...she's gonna make me kinda scratch that'll have Ryan look like he's runnin' a paper route. She just needs some supplies to get the ball rolling...and a friend to watch her back."_

Kraut scientist? Prison Camps? Why did she have the feeling that she's heard this voice before? Why does she have the feeling that she knew this man and Suchong? All of these questions was starting to drive her on the edge of her sanity. Is it possible that she could've...no. It can't be. Although she can't remember her life from 1947 to 1957, it doesn't mean that...

_"Lass! Ya still there?" _Atlas's concerned voice snapped her out of it.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Atlas." Brigid apologized.

_"You had me worried there for a sec. The submarine bay is just up ahead."_

"Right." Brigid placed the Audio Diary down and picked her Tommy Gun and resumed her walk. As she entered a wider cavern, Atlas spoke again.

_"Hit the switch up there in the control booth, and let me in. I think it's time to shake hands and get acquainted."_

Brigid crawled through a small hole in the wall and entered the path that led to the control booth. Just as she did, there was a loud, sharp sound coming from the speakers before a familiar Russian voice spoke through.

_"You've had your fun," _Ryan growled dangerously through the speakers, his voice echoing throughout the vast caverns, _"but enough is enough...if you press that button, you'll learn what it means to truly be my enemy."_

Ryan's tone was cold and deadly to the touch, but it didn't stop Brigid from making her way over to her destination. She agreed to help Atlas get to his family and she will. She wasn't going to let some hypocritical bastard get in her way. She eventually reached a gate and used her wrench to break the padlock. As soon as she got in she approached a barred window. She peeked out and spotted a large sub hovering above a pool of water. Heart racing, she stepped into the control booth and found the switch. A feeling of overwhelming dread fell over he as she gripped the lever. But without second thought, she yanked it down.

Everything suddenly went dark and a small alarm went off. Brigid looked around frantically in confusion. She then looked out the large window and spotted a robust man running in. She could barely make out the features on his face. He was a charming looking man. Short sandy blonde hair and a button up white shirt with leather straps and tan pants with black shoes. He appeared to be holding a radio similar to her's in his hands.

_"You blow a fuse up there?" _he called, _"Can't see a damn thing in that booth. Give me a tick, and I'll get you out of there." _he then turned to the submarine and Brigid clearly hear him call out to it. _"Maira! Can you hear me in there, darling?"_

Brigid barely saw the blurred form of a woman and a young boy looking out the only window of the sub. They were banging their hands on the glass to get his attention. He then ran over to a control panel and attempted to work with the buttons.

_"So dark in here..." _Ryan purred softly, _"if only your friend could look up and see you...maybe you could warn him...if only you could do something...anything...except just stand here...and watch him die..."_

Brigid's green eyes widened with horror when she spotted the slender finger stepping out from behind the hook that held the submarine above water. It was the Big Sister. Brigid screamed and jumped back in surprise when a large pipe suddenly fell in front of the window. Spider Splicers crawled all down from the ceiling outside. Brigid frantically pounded her fist on the thick glass.

"ATLAS!" she screamed, "ATLAS!"

Atlas snapped his head up from the controls to the Big Sister and splicers surrounding him. He immediately brought out his pistol and started shooting. _"Splicers!" _he cried over the radio, _"They're everywhere! I can't hold 'em, got to fall back! Get me family out and we'll regroup as soon as we can!"_

Atlas turned his attention over to his wife and son, who were looking at him fearfully. "I have to get out of here!" he cried, "Don't worry! This lass will get you out of here!"

"I love you!" Maira cried from inside the sub as she hugged their son closely.

Brigid frantically made her way out of the control booth and fought her way through the attacking splicers. Using both her Tommy Gun and her Plasmids to take them out.

_"Get out if you can! Get out and we'll regroup!" _Atlas yelled over the radio.

Brigid eventually made her way to the submarine and spotted both Maira and the child inside. Desperately pounding on the glass and crying out to Brigid to save them.

"Hang on! I'm going to get you both out of there!" Brigid called out before running to the control panel. She didn't hear the "look out" Maira screamed at her. Brigid was about to press the button that would open the sub when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and thrown across the cavern until she crashed against the wall.

Brigid's vision was blurry and doubled. Faintly hearing the disoriented screech coming from Pelageya as she picked her up and flung her once more. Brigid skidded across the floor until she crashed against the control panel itself. She screamed when the Big Sister grabbed her and slammed her against the floor. The orange light on the glass window suddenly switched to a deadly red as the Big Sister raised a drill up, aimed directly in between her eyes. Brigid was too dazed to do anything but squirm in the Big Sister's vice grip. She didn't hear the sub door opening until the sound of a shotgun gun going off was heard.

"Get away from her you bloody monster!" Maira screamed as she fired the shotgun again.

Pelageya snapped her head over to the Irish woman and let out a deadly screech. She released her grip on Brigid's neck, only to suddenly lift a gas tank off the ground with some kind of Telekinesis and tossing it at Maira. Both Maira and her son got down just as the bomb hit the sub and the entire thing exploded in a fire ball. The Big Sister let out a raging screech before teleporting out of there.

Brigid barely remained conscious as Ryan's frustrated voice spoke through the P.A.

_"You ooze in like an assassin and then you try to sneak out like a thief. You're no CIA spook. Who are you? Why have you come here? There's two way to deal with a mystery...uncover it, or eliminate it."_

"Mum!" an Irish boy screeched.

"Patrick! Help me get her out of here!" Maira cried.

_"Maira! Oh, God, Maira! If you're there, please pick up!"_

"Atlas! We're okay! Patrick and I are okay! But your friend is hurt!" Maira replied.

_"Christ, get out of there and get to Arcadia! Go! Now!" _Atlas cried through the radio.

Brigid felt herself being dragged out just as she faded in and out of consciousness. The last thing she heard was Atlas cursing Ryan's name before she succumbed to blackness.

...

"Papa?" Jack asked as he watched Atlas's wife and child drag Brigid's unconscious body out of the submarine bay and into the bulkhead leading to Arcadia on the security screen. "Papa, if she's not a parasite, what is she?"

Ryan sighed and he smoothed his son's hair. "I don't know, _moy syn_, I don't know." Ryan's blue eye then hardened like fierce sapphires, "But I do know she is a _very _bad woman."

Jack blinked innocently. He turned his attention back to the security footage as it replayed. He noticed Maira fire at his big sister and how she fiercely had her son behind her the whole time. "Papa, do I have a Mama?" he asked out of the blue.

Ryan stopped stroking his son and looked down at him with a raised brow. His boy never asked him the question, believe it or not. "Yes." he replied, "Everyone has a Mama." he replied.

"Where is she?" Jack then asked.

Ryan fell silent. His eyes darted away from his son briefly as memories of the countless times Jasmine pleaded with him just to let her see their son. Let alone hold him for at least a minute. Motherly instincts were playing their natural role in the exotic dancer. But after what she planned to do with him even before he was born, Ryan was taking no chances. He eventually had to put an end to her by sending his adopted daughter to do the job.

"She's...gone." he replied. It was only a half-lie.

A saddened look appeared in the small boy's features. "You mean she became an angel?" he asked sadly.

"... Yes." Ryan replied, smoothing his son's hair once more, "She's an angel now..."

Jack pressed himself against his father's body and felt sleep creep up in him. "Pelageya..." he murmured, "Is Pelageya okay?"

Ryan looked over his shoulder slightly and spotted the Big Sister a few feet away. "She's fine, _moy syn_." he replied. He looked down and saw that his son had fallen asleep on his lap again. Ryan gently picked up the boy and held him closely. "Take him to bed." he told his daughter as he handed him over to her.

The Big Sister made a soft chirp in reply, green light glowing from the window of her diver's helmet. She held the boy in her long arms gently. Ryan placed his hand on the side of the helmet.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

Another soft chirp, followed by a nod, answered him.

"Good." Ryan nodded back, "Stay with him. I still have some things I must tend too."

Pelageya nodded before teleported out of his office. Ryan found himself alone in the room and went back to the security monitor. Taking a seat in his chair, he replayed the footage from the submarine bay. After a few frames he paused and zoomed in on Brigid's face. It was a bit fuzzy, but he instantly recognize the features. He looked over to the old photograph of him and his colleagues in 1952 hanging on the wall. The young woman standing on the far right matched the one in the footage.

A small growl rumbled in his throat as his eyes narrowed at the woman in the footage. "Well, well, well. Looks like our dearest doctor has returned."

**X.X**

**I couldn't bring myself to kill Atlas's family. I just couldn't. And sorry about the OOC Ryan. **


	9. Chapter 9

_Brigid angrily slammed her last suitcase shut before flipping the golden buckles up._

_"We had a deal, Dr. Tenenbaum." Fontaine snapped as he watched her pack the last of her things._

_"The deal is __**off**__, Fontaine!" Brigid snapped back, "Now get out of my apartment before I notify the authorities."_

_"Where are you even going to go anyway?"_

_Brigid fell silent for a moment. The mobster had a point. Her father was too old to take her back in, and she didn't want to put any responsibility on the man. "I have a friend living in Massachusetts." she replied, "They'll be willing to take me in until I sort everything out." it wasn't a lie. She knew a fellow scientist from her time at the surface that is more than willing to take her in. Perhaps she could even help her forget..._

_"It's not too late to reconsider, Doctor." Fontaine said, folding his arms above his chest._

_Brigid approached her door and grasped the brass knob. "__**Goodbye**__, Fontaine." she hissed before slamming the door shut..._

_..._

"Mum! She's waking up!" Patrick called.

"Fontaine... Fontaine..." Brigid murmured repeatedly.

Maira immediately knelt down beside her young son and examined the awakening woman. "Lass?" she asked, "Ma'am? Can you hear me?" She spoke in a soft Irish accent. Not thick like her husband's.

Brigid's eyes fluttered a bit before snapping open. She shot up and gasped before cringing when she felt pain on her left side.

"Easy now!" Maira gasped, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other on her chest, "You're still in pretty bad shape thanks to that monster back there."

Brigid started to relax as she looked into the Irish woman's brown eyes. Standing behind her was a small boy, barely around the age of eight or seven, with sandy blonde hair and dressed in a similar style to his father. "Are you both...alright?" she panted.

A smile appeared on Maira's pale red lips. "We are thanks to you." she said, "My boy and I were separated from my husband during one of the riots. We found the sub and stayed hidden in there until my husband could reach us." Maira sat up on both knees and hugged her son closely, "We thought we could never be rescued..."

Brigid smiled at the two before looking around. She noticed a bunch of different plant species around them and found herself lying on a soft patch of grass. The area was dimly lit by the lights coming from outside and it felt very humid. "What is this place?'

"This is Arcadia." Maira replied, "But we're currently at the Tea Garden."

"A forest at the bottom of the ocean?" Brigid said as she looked around, "How is that possible?"

"Nothing is impossible in Rapture." Maira replied. There was sudden static on the radio. Maira handed Brigid the radio.

"Atlas?" she asked softly.

_"I don't know what to say; only that I am lost with words...but I owe you my life for saving my family back there." _Atlas sounded close to tears. _"A deal's a deal. You got my family out, now I'm going to get you out." _

A loud noise suddenly escaped from the speakers; it was enough to cause Brigid, Maira, and Patrick to cover their ears.

_"I came to this place to build the impossible." _Ryan said through the P.A., _"You came to rob what you could never build, a Hun gaping at the gates of Rome. Even the air you breathe is sponged from my account. Well, breathe deep...so later you might remember the taste."_

_"Blasted Andrew Ryan!" _Atlas sneered through the radio, _"You my family and yourself to the Bathysphere in the Rolling Hills. That'll take you three straight to the devil himself."_

"What about you, love?" Maira asked.

_"I'm making my way to a Bathysphere as well. Hopefully we'll all meet up soon."_

"See you then." Brigid said before pushing herself back up on her feet. "Thanks." Brigid said when Patrick handed her her Tommy Gun. "Do you know how to get to Rolling Hills?"

"Aye." Maira nodded, "Me family and I always came here on Sundays for a stroll. Just follow me and we'll reached the Bathysphere in Rolling Hills in no time."

"Lead the way, ma'am."

Maira cocked her Shotgun and nodded. The trio made their way through the Tea Garden with caution. Brigid was determined to get Atlas's family to the surface alive, but she dreadfully knew that she couldn't return to the surface just yet. There were still some unanswered questions here. Why did she know this Fontaine person? Why did she have the feeling of _deja vu _in some places? She wasn't going to leave this city until she had some damn answers.

Maira suddenly stopped and held out her arm. "Wait." she whispered.

"What is it?" Brigid asked.

"Ssh." Maira placed her finger against her lips.

"_Help! Somebody please help me!_"

"Sounds like somebody need our help." Brigid said.

"Aye. But don't let it fool you." Maira warned, "It's how them Houdini Splicers attract their prey." She gestured to the shadow a few feet from them with her gun. "Answering a Houdini Splicer's cry is the last mistake you would ever make."

"Mum!" Patrick tugged on the sleeve of his mother's dress. Both women looked up and froze in cold fear when they didn't see the shadow.

"This way." Maira whispered.

The trio quickly made their way through the garden while ignoring the desperate cries for help as best as they could. The cries grew louder and closer they walked. Patrick clung on to his mother's waist as if for dear life. And then...the cries came to an abrupt stop. Maira froze and she cocked her gun.

"What's wrong?" Brigid asked.

"Keep your eyes peeled. The son of a bitch is nearby." Maira's brown eyes hardened, "I can smell 'em roses."

The sweet scent of roses lingered in the air around them. Brigid readied her Tommy Gun and stood back-to-back with Maria. Wicked laughter echoed throughout out the room. Brigid's head snapped to her left when she heard what sounded like footsteps running by.

"Don't waste your ammo!" Maira warned, "It's what the bastard wants. He appears and disappears in a red mist and rose petals. Just stay quiet and _listen_."

Brigid nodded and didn't make a sound. She slowly lowered her gun and injected herself with the Incinerate plasmid. The laughter grew louder and closer. Enough to make poor Patrick whimper against his mother's dress in pure fear. Brigid heard faint movement of leaves nearby. She snapped her fingers and a loud scream was heard. The Houdini Splicer ran out of the bushes in a blazing inferno. Screaming and wailing. Maira aimed and fired her Shotgun directly at the head, killing the splicer instantly.

"Good job." Maira said, "That was some good concentrating."

"Thank you." Brigid smiled, "I'm very good with patience sometimes."

The trio resumed their walk with less worry. But there were still splicers around. A green haze blanketed some parts of the garden. They fought their way through groups of angry splicers and such.

"My husband and I actually met at the lighthouse." Maira said, "We both came here looking for a better life. We eventually got married had our son Patrick here. Life was good until the discovery of them damn plasmids."

"What are you going to do when you return to the surface?" Brigid asked.

"Atlas and I were discussing about that and we decided it would be best to stay with my family back in Ireland until we get everything figured out. Start a newer life on the surface. Let little Patrick see his first sunrise."

The radio suddenly started buzzing. _"Rolling Hills is over yonder... And the Bathysphere station is as well. One of them will take you three straight to the surface." _Atlas said.

A low moan suddenly filled their ears and the trio stopped. "Mum..." Patrick squeaked, "Big Daddy..."

Maira placed an arm around her son and held him close. "I know, Patty, I know. Stay close." she said.

"Don't worry." Brigid assured them, "I got this. I know how to handle a Big Daddy."

"You do?" Patrick asked, his eyes glowing.

Brigid smiled and nodded. The trio cautiously approached the Big Daddy just as he helped a Little Sister out from one of the holes. Brigid took aim and fired rapidly at the Big Daddy.

"Get her Mr. B!" the Little Sister yelled.

The Big Daddy's lights flashed a dangerous red and he charged the trio, but crashed into the wall instead. Maira fired her Shotgun from behind while Brigid continued shooting. The Big Daddy eventually fell dead and the Little Sister ran over to his side, weeping. Brigid picked up the Little Sister and did what she's done with the other Little Sisters she's rescued.

"Thank you." the little girl said before she ran over and escaped through one of the holes.

"How did you do that?" Maira asked.

"A stranger gave me a special Plasmid that helps me rescue the little girls." Brigid replied. Her radio suddenly came to life.

_"Even in the gathering dark, you light a candle just as my father did. You've saved the Little Ones when you might've shown your cruelty. I'm sending something your way to demonstrate our thanks." _Elizabeth said through the radio.

"Amazing." Maira whispered, "If only we had someone like you in Rapture sooner."

"Mum! Miss!" Patrick called from one of the holes. Both woman ran over and found him knelt down beside a teddy bear with a present in its paws.

"Looks like my award came." Brigid said softly. She knelt down and removed the box cover. Inside she found 12 Electric Buck and 200 ADAM. "Here." she said, offering Maira one hundred of her ADAM.

Maira took a step back in disbelief. "N-no. We couldn't take your ADAM. It's for you after all." she said.

"Everyone needs ADAM. I'm only giving you a hundred. I'll keep the other hundred for myself. Don't worry about me."

Maira was on the brink of tears. "Thank you..." she said, accepting the ADAM.

"It's times like this that we must learn to share." Brigid replied.

"Hopefully we won't have to see any of this again when we return to the surface." Maira added.

The trio resumed their walk and finally arrived at the Rolling Hills. Just as they stepped foot in it, Ryan's voice spoke through the P.A.

_"On the surface, I once bought a forest. The Parasites claimed that the land belonged to God, and demanded that I establish a public park there. Why? So the rabble could stand slack-jawed under the canopy, and pretend that it was Paradise earned. When Congress moved to nationalize my forest, I burnt it to the ground. God did not plant the seeds of this Arcadia. __**I **__did."_

"That man is bloody mad." Maira said, shaking her head.

The trio made their way through the tall, thick trees of the area. Brigid had to admit, the place looked beautiful. They came across a Big Daddy and managed to defeat it before saving the Little Sister. They finally neared the entrance to the Bathysphere station and were about to approach it when a loud noise was suddenly heard.

"M-mum? What's going on?" Patrick whimpered.

Brigid noticed green gas suddenly spewing from the walls. She felt the oxygen in her system suddenly start to deplete and she began to feel weak. The trio then started to cough from the lack of oxygen.

"W-what's happening!?" Brigid hacked.

_"This isn't right..." _Atlas spoke through the radio, _"I'm gonna need the three of you to listen to me. I'm no sort of botanist, but I think Ryan has just killed Arcadia..."_

_You don't say? _Brigid thought bitterly. All around them, the trees and plant life suddenly started to wilt and lose their color. Leaves were falling off and shriveling up on the ground.

_"The man's put something foul into the air. Bottom of the ocean, lass. All the oxygen comes from the trees. No trees, no oxygen. Give me a spell to think."_

Maira suddenly snapped her fingers. "L-Langford." she coughed.

"W-who?"

_"Of course!" _Atlas gasped, _"Maira, my love, you are a genius! Ryan's woman in Arcadia is an old betty named Langford. An okay sort, but not above doing a dirty job for a dollar. If she's still kicking around, I'm sure she's gonna want to save her trees. After all, she planted the damn things."_

"W-where can we find her?" Brigid asked, looking at Maira.

"I know where. She's an old friend of mine. Just stay close and follow me. Everything is flammable as hell now so a fire or two might pop up."

Brigid nodded. "Lead the way. And hurry."

A voice suddenly spoke through the speakers. _"Oxygen levels critical. Lockdown initiated. All bulkhead doors are now sealed. Thank you!"_

Uh oh...


	10. Chapter 10

**My bad! It turns out I posted chapter eight twice and everything went all screwy. THIS is chapter ten. The REAL chapter nine is already up. Although I think I messed everything up, though...**

**Accidents happen! ^-^**

**Btw, this is where the Farmer's Market thing comes in. But there is no way in hell I'm gonna write about Tenenbaum, Maira, and Patrick running around the Market looking for...stuff. Plus I don't want this to be a long, boring chapter like last time. So I'm gonna add a little Ryan stuff in between. Hope you don't mind ;)**

**X.X**

Brigid followed Maira and Patrick through the dead forest until they eventually came upon a tunnel. Brigid peeked out the glass and spotted tall trees inside glass containers about their height. At the end of the tunnel were three TVs and a large door.

"This should be the place." Maira said.

"Mum..." Patrick coughed, "I don't...feel good..."

"Just hang in there, Patty." Maira said comfortly.

The static suddenly appeared on the TV screens before the blurry image of an elderly woman appeared. _"My trees!" _she cried, _"It wasn't you three, was it? Wait...Maira!? Patrick!?"_

"Julie!" Maira cried, "It wasn't us! We were on our way to the Bathysphere station when Ryan suddenly unleashed some kind of gas all over Arcadia! Everything's dead now!"

_"Ryan!" _Julie screamed, _"I think I've got a way to save the trees. It's a genetic vector that...oh, look who I'm talking to... Could you find a sample of Rosa Gallica for me?"_

"Rosa what?" Brigid asked.

_"No time! Just look in the Grotto...I've got to keep working while there's time..."_

The TV screens shut off. Brigid and Maira looked at one another. "Looks like we're gonna be here a while." Brigid sighed.

"Yes. But Patrick can't keep going like this. He's too exhausted to even walk. Plus things are beginning to get dangerous down here. We'll stay here, you go look at the Grotto."

"Will you be okay while I'm gone?" Brigid asked.

"Aye. Me boy and I survived in a submarine for God knows how long. I've got enough rounds to last us a while."

"Alright then." Brigid turned to leave, "I'll be quick. Don't worry."

...

Brigid flinched with every step she took, her boots pressing against the dead leaves and making a crunching sound along the way. The entire garden was dead. Trees. Everything. How could a man be so heartless and mad as to have an entire forest destroyed? He mentioned that he once owned a forest on the surface, but then had it burnt to the ground just because people demanded that it be nationalized.

Sometimes suddenly caught her eye. She spotted an Audio Diary lying near a bed of large roses. It was labeled Pelageya. Brigid pressed play and the British girl's voice spoke through.

_"These roses are beautiful! I've only read about them in books but I never thought they were this beautiful! It makes me happy that Langford gave me permission to see them up close. I really wish I brought Kyle along. He would've liked it too... 'Pelageya!' Huh? Coming father!"_

The audio tape ended. "So you really were human once." Brigid said to herself, placing the Audio Diary down on the crate. She then looked at the large roses and wondered if this is what Langford was telling her about. Carefully, Brigid plucked the largest rose that was there and held it gingerly in her hands.

"Now to get this back to Langford."

...

Maira caressed her sleeping son's hair gently before sighing. She silently prayed that Brigid would return whatever her old friend wanted. So much has been going right now. She couldn't believe that her family's made it this far. She prayed every night for an angel to come and save her family from the wickedness that now shadowed Rapture. It looks like her prayers were finally answered. She felt relief when she spotted Brigid running into the room.

"Did you get it?" she asked.

"Yeah." Brigid replied, gesturing to the large rose in her hands, "Turns out she just wanted a rose."

The TV screens flickered on and Langford's face appeared once more. _"You've brought the Rosa Gallica?" _she asked eagerly.

"Yes." Brigid replied, holding up the rose for Julie to see.

_"Well, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Send it through the pneumo!"_

Brigid frowned at the woman before placing the rose into the pneumo.

_"Yes, this is perfect...perfect... Come on up to my office... I'm letting you three in now... I think I've got just the thing to put the green back in this forest."_

The door slid open just as Julie's image disappeared from the TV screens. Maira gently woke Patrick up before the two stood by Brigid's side.

"Let's all stick together." Brigid said, "I don't know what lies ahead, but it's better to be safe then sorry."

"Right." Maira nodded, "I've known Julie since I first arrived in Rapture. She's a good woman at heart, but since the civil war I don't know if she's still the same woman I once knew."

The trio stepped into the lab entrance and made their way through the area until they entered a tunnel that finally led to the building where Langford currently was. As soon as they got inside they spotted the woman with a green vile in her hands.

"Is that her?" Brigid asked.

"Aye. Let's go see what she has for us." Maira said. Just as they were about to approach the door, the P.A. suddenly switched on and Ryan's voice spoke through in a rather disappointed tone.

_"Julie, we made a business deal, you and I, did we not?" _

Julie looked around her office frantically.

_"Money changed hands. Let me read to you from the agreement... *Clears throat* Section 3. Subsection 4"_

"Mr. Ryan?" Julie asked. But Ryan cut her off.

_"Ryan Corp maintains EXCLUSIVE rights to the creation use, and exploitation of the Lazarus Vector. Ownership is civilization, Julie. Without it, we're back in the swamp..."_

Brigid and Maira watched in horror when Pelageya suddenly appeared from behind the frightened scientist. Julie gasped and backed away from the Big Sister, who had her red light targeted on her and a drill in one hand.

"Mr. Ryan... Wait..." she gagged when the Big Sister grabbed her neck viciously and lifted her off the ground. "No! Please!... Mr. Ryan!..." she begged.

Maira covered Patrick's eyes and looked away in horror as the Big Sister drilled into her old friend's chest before throwing her at the window. Brigid watched with wide eyes as Julie lifted a bloody hand and wrote the numbers 9457 backwards in her blood before dropping dead.

_"Every time we get a yard ahead, Ryan goes and moves the goal line down to the other side of the field." _Atlas whined through the radio, _"Maira, Patrick, are you both alright?"_

Brigid silently handed Maira the radio, who was now shaken by the experience. "S-she killed her, A-Atlas. S-she's dead..."

_"I know, my love, I know... But we'll make sure the good Professor didn't die in vain." _

The Big Sister let out a menacing screech before teleporting out of the office. Fresh blood now stained the floors and a bit of the desk. When Brigid entered the lab, it was littered with old research papers and dead plants. Maira knelt down by the body of her old friend and held her hand tearfully.

"Maira..." Brigid gently placed her hand on the woman's shoulder, "There's nothing we can do for her now..."

"I know..." Maira replied, "I just wanted some closure before we leave."

"Mum! Miss!" Patrick called. The young boy pointed his finger up at a painting hanging on the wall. Brigid removed the painting to discover that a safe was actually hidden behind it.

"Good work, Patrick!" Brigid praised and the small boy smiled proudly.

"Just like his father." Maira chuckled as she patted his head.

Brigid entered the numbers Julie had written and heard an unlocking sound. Inside she found an audio tape and a key labeled "Market". Brigid inserted the tape into a player and pressed play.

_"What's the point of being a damn genius if the only ones around to appreciate it are bunch of spliced up morons? I've cracked the Vector, or at least I'm 99 percent certain I have. I just need a bud of Rosa Gallica to confirm my analysis. Distilled water, a bit of chlorophyll, and enzymes extracted from Aphis Mellifera. That's right, sweethearts: honey bee spit."_

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" Maira asked. Sometimes her old friend lost her.

"It's the ingredients." Brigid replied, "She wants us to complete the Vector. It's probably the only way that will bring the plants back to life. But I want to know where we can find these said ingredients."

Maira tapped her chin a bit in thought. "I might know where. Patrick and I have been there many times before."

...

Ryan cupped his chin as he watched the security footage before his eyes. Cupping his chin as he watched the trio leave the lab and head over in the direction of the Farmer's Market. It could only mean one thing: they were going to complete the Vector.

"Clever as usual, aren't you Tenenbaum?" he snarled softly. But what he wanted to know was why she acted so lost when she first arrived. This woman's lived in Rapture since it first opened. Unless she somehow managed to forget her life here completely, he may never know for sure. But he did know was that she was actually _rescuing _the little creatures she created. Those _Little Sisters_. And for who? Some woman who just appeared in the city out of nowhere.

The private detective, Booker DeWitt, was last seen with her the night everything changed for Rapture. But he hasn't been seen since. According to Cohen, before he went fully insane, he sent them to Fontaine's Department store. That was the last he's seen of both of them.

No matter. All he could do was send his splicers out to try and handle the situation while sitting back in his seat and watch the entire show. Although it wasn't very amusing to watch.

...

"Did you find it?" Brigid asked.

"Aye! That should be the last of it." Maira handed the bottle of chlorophyll over to the other woman.

"Good. Let's head back to Arcadia then."

The trio had spent large sums of time searching for the necessary ingredients throughout the splicer infested market. As soon as they stepped back into Arcadia, Ryan spoke through the P.A. once more.

_"Don't fight the inevitable." _he growled softly, _"You'll all run out of oxygen soon and then you'll all just go to sleep."_

"Security bots!" Patrick screeched.

"Patrick, get down!" Maira shrieked before blasting a security bot with her Shotgun.

Brigid shot down a few security bots herself with her Tommy Gun. Shooting a few who were a bit too close to Maira or Patrick. Eventually, the last security bot fell to the floor in a heap of metal and parts. The trio didn't waste any time running back to Julie's lab with the ingredients in hand. But they arrived, they were horrified to find splicers running all over the place. After taking them out, Brigid placed the ingredients into the Central Misting Control.

_"Ah, listen to that damn thing gurgle and crank. How long is it going to take?" _Atlas said over the radio.

"Look!" Patrick gasped.

Joy swelled in everyone's chest as the green gas filled the room. Before their eyes, the trees and other plant life started to blossom once more.

"Julie..." Maira whispered as she wrapped an arm around her son, "Julie...it works."

"Perhaps she didn't die in vain after all." Brigid said with a smile. The joy was short lived, however, when Ryan spoke through the P.A.

_"It seems Julie's death didn't provide a clear enough less to you. Perhaps this will suffice."_

_"Ryan's got your number."_ Atlas said, _"No doubt he'll be sending company. Best to head back to the lab and seal her up...might be the only way to keep the splicers out."_

The trio ran as fast as they could back to the lab entrance. "Patrick! Find a safe place to hide!" Maira yelled. Brigid and Maira stood back from the door. Blood running cold through their veins as loud bangs were suddenly heard. Something was pounding against the door. And Brigid had a feeling it wasn't splicers. She readied her Tommy Gun.

"Here they come." Maira whispered.

Brigid shook her head. "It's not splicers." she said gravely.

The door came crashing down and the Big Sister let out a menacing screech.

"Christ, it's her!" Maira screamed before she started firing her Shotgun. The bullets from both weapons bounced off the armored helm that covered Pelageya's face and ricochet across some parts of the room. Screeching, Pelageya lifted a nearby desk up with her Telekinesis and tossed it at both women.

"Get down!" Brigid cried. Both women fell to the floor just as the desk crashed against the wall. Patrick, who was hidden behind a nearby desk, let out a horrified scream.

Pelageya suddenly snapped her attention over to the desk before lifting it up with her Telekinesis. Patrick let out a horrified gasp and attempted to scramble up on his feet.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON!" Maira screamed as she unleashed all her rounds upon the Big Sister. Pelageya snapped her attention back to both women and shrieked angrily before charging them with her drill spinning. There was a sudden loud noise and everyone stopped for a sec.

"The Vector!" Brigid gasped, "Someone must pull the switch!"

"I'll do it!" Patrick yelled before running to the door leading to Julie's office. Pelageya attempted to go after him, but was stopped when she felt a bullet hit her backside.

Patrick frantically ran over to the controls before pulling the entire switch down. The thickness in the air vanished and was replaced with something more clearer and pleasant. He sighed in relief. Brigid and Maira felt the change in the air as well and joy filled their hearts. Pelageya, however, unleashed a frustrated screech that actually shattered the glass windows around them before she teleported out.

"Mum! Miss!" Patrick cried as he ran back down.

Brigid groaned from the ringing in her ears. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Aye..." Maira replied. Her eyes then widened when she saw her son, "Patrick!"

"Mum!"

Brigid smiled softly as she watched the two embrace one another in a tight hug. _"Well done, lassy." _Atlas said over the radio, _"Head on over to Rolling Hills and get the Bathysphere. Next stop is the surface. Time for my boy to see the sunrise for the first time."_

...

So many thoughts were running through Brigid's mind as they made their way to the Metro Station. Patrick was happily skipping ahead while Maira walked beside her with a smile on her face. There were still so many answers left unanswered. And she was determined to find out what they were.

_"Why are you so resistant to the traditional methods of separating a man from his soul?" _Ryan asked through the P.A. when they neared the Bathysphere station. _"You're not CIA. You've harmed my daughter on more then two occasions... But don't worry. I just need time to find the proper poison."_

"At least I won't have to hear that bloody voice of his again." a familiar voice said.

Patrick came to a dead stop when he saw the man up ahead. Both Brigid and Maira stopped as well, with Maira placing both her hands over her mouth.

"DA!" Patrick screeched joyfully before jumping into his father's embrace.

"Oh, I've missed you so much, boyo." Atlas said as he hugged his son tightly. Maira quickly joined the embrace and the family was reunited once more. Atlas looked up from the hug and smiled at Brigid. "Looks like I finally get to meet the hero who rescued my family." he approached Brigid with his hand outstretched. "How about we properly introduce ourselves. My name is Atlas."

"Brigid." Brigid replied, shaking his hand.

"Brigid... I can't thank you enough for saving my only wife and child. I don't know how I'm going to repay you for this..."

"There is no need to pay me, Atlas." Brigid said, "But I do ask you the favor of leaving me behind."

"WHAT!?" the family exclaimed in unison.

"Are you out of your mind, Lass!?" Atlas said, "After everything we've went through!?"

"There are still some unanswered questions here for me, Atlas. I can't just run away from them without knowing the answers. I've been having the strange feeling that I know this Fontaine man. And I must know for myself."

_"Perhaps we can help each other out with that." _a new voice said over the radio.

Atlas's eyes widened in horror. "That voice!" he gasped.

_"It's been a long time, Dr. Tenenbaum. Almost two years, perhaps?"_

"Who is this?" Brigid asked firmly.

_"Doctor. How could you have forgotten? How could you forget Frank Fontaine?" _Fontaine asked smoothly.

"How did you find us you bastard!?" Atlas snapped.

_"Stand down now, Atlas. This is between the good Doctor and myself." _

"H-how did you know my name?" Brigid asked.

_"We go way back in Rapture, my dear. I'll answer all your questions if you do me one favor."_

"And what would that be?"

_"Bring me Ryan's son. Alive."_

Brigid and Atlas looked at one another. "What do you want with the boy?" Brigid asked.

_"I'll tell you all in good time. But hand me that boy if you wish to know the answers to your questions."_

"Don't trust him, Lass." Atlas said, "I don't know how he's still alive, but that son of a bitch is a mobster. Ya can't trust mobsters! Especially with the life of a small boy."

Brigid was silent. She couldn't help but agree with Atlas. However, she must know the truth. If she wanted her questions answered, then she must trust this Fontaine man. "Fine. I'll do it."

_"Excellent. I'll keep in touch with you from time to time. Make sure you get me that boy."_

"Brigid. Are you sure about this?" Atlas asked, "I hate Ryan. But that doesn't mean I want any harm to come to his own boy."

"I'll make sure nothing happens to that boy." Brigid said as she reloaded her Tommy Gun, "Until I get my answers, I'm going to have to trust this man."

Atlas gritted his teeth before looking over to his wife and child. Maira approached Brigid and silently handed over her Shotgun to her. "Take this." she said, "Just in case."

"Thank you." Brigid accepted the gun.

Atlas growled before sighing. "Fine. I'll take you as far as Fort Frolic. But then my family is outta here. But you _better _come back up to the surface. I don't want the hero who saved my family to die down here." Atlas said viciously, close to tears.

"Don't worry." Brigid assured him, "I won't stay here forever. I will come back to the surface."

"Good." Atlas said, "We'll be waiting."

**X.X**

**... Well that was awful :/**

**But FINALLY! I get to write Fort Frolic next! :D I have so many surprises in store for the next few chapters. And yes, Fontaine will be talking to Brigid from now on. Atlas and his family will be waiting at the Lighthouse now.**

**But that's enough writing for one day. I'll write another chapter tomorrow since I have no school. All thanks to a cold wave that hit my area! :D But that means a short Spring Break for me :'(**


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning: possible spoilers to the ending of Bioshock Infinite. **

**X.X**

There was a sinister feeling in the air as soon as the Bathysphere containing Atlas and his family sank back into the water. She could hear static cackling behind her as she slowly turned to face the wrecked entrance. The corridor itself was only lit up by the light coming from outside. Giving the place a murky green color. She cautiously made her way through the rubble, passing by old slot machines and jukeboxes, before stopping when she heard the radio crackle.

_"Ryan's handed the keys to Fort Frolic over to an artist named Sander Cohen. I've seen all kinds of cutthroats, freaks, and hard cases in my life...but Cohen, he's a real lunatic, as dyed in the wool psychopath." _Fontaine drawled through the radio.

"What?" Brigid asked. Music and static started to suddenly play over Fontaine's voice until she eventually lost his signal. "Fontaine? Fontaine! Fuck!" Brigid cursed before shutting the radio off. "Sander Cohen, eh?" she said to herself, "Sounds like I've met the man before."

She soon passed an old store that was closed off by a fence. Lying amongst the rubble she spotted an Audio Diary labeled Pelageya.

_"Kyle just offered to take me to the Christmas party next week. Oooh, I'm really nervous about asking Father. I know that this will be my only chance in having a proper dance with a man before... I'd rather not talk about it. Any way, I don't even know how to dance. *Sighs* hopefully Father will say yes. I better get back to violin practice before Cohen sees me."_

Judging by the date, this audio log must've been made a year prior to the New Years incident. 1957, perhaps? Brigid dropped the Audio Diary and turned her attention over to the entrance to Hephaestus. According to Fontaine during her ride over here, he said that the sphere to Ryan would be in there. Without a word, she stepped through the doorway and made her way over to the Bathysphere.

_Something can't be right, _Brigid thought to herself as her eyes wandered around, _It can't be __**this **__easy for me._

She spoke too soon. Without warning, the Bathysphere suddenly submerged itself under a spotlight and giant rabbit mask slowly rose up. "What the hell?" Brigid whispered to herself as giant curtains suddenly rolled out while plastered masks and Little Sisters bent in odd angles dangled from the ceiling in a pattern. Sparkles fell from them as the color changed to a violet color. What's more, music started playing in the background.

_"Ah, that's better..." _a silky voice sighed through the radio, _"Fontaine, Ryan, Fontaine, Ryan, duh duh duh, duh duh dudg..." _Cohen sang. _"Time was you could get something decent on the radio. The artist has a duty to seduce the ear and delight the spirit...so say goodbye to that blowhard, Fontaine, and hello, to an evening with Sander Cohen!"_

Brigid flicked some red glitter off her shoulder when some landed on her from the plastered Little Sisters dangling on the ceiling. She felt a sickening feeling in her stomach and wasn't hesitant to leave the Rapture Metro.

_"Now. I haven't seen a sign of real life down here in months. Besides from Jackie here. Isn't that right, little moth?" _

_"Yes Mr. Cohen!" _Jack giggled.

_Jack! _Brigid clutched her Shotgun tightly. So the boy was with Cohen. Cohen chuckled through the radio.

_"Of course, little moth. Anyway, let's see if you're just another Johnny come lately...or maybe something more delicious." _the mad artist purred.

Wicked laughter was heard from the ceiling. Brigid snapped her head up and spotted Spider Splicers coming her way. She injected some Incinerate plasmid into her system before snapping her fingers. The first splicer erupted into flames and fellow the floor in a charred mess.

_"Nicely done."_ Cohen praised, _"Where did you study?"_

Brigid ignored his question and fired her Shotgun at two approaching splicers. She concentrated on the other splicers before snapping her fingers once more. Screams escaped the splicers as their bodies burned in devastating temperatures before dropping dead when Brigid shot down the remaining ones.

_"Ohhh, I can smell the malt vinegar in this one, little moth. I've waited so long for something tasty to come to this little burg, but all that pass are yokels and rubes... Where are my manners? Come in! Come in! Sander Cohen and Jack Ryan awaits you...at the Fleet Hall!"_

Brigid grimaced. She's definitely heard his voice from somewhere. Reloading her gun, she made her way over to the now open entrance. The large room was dark, save from the light coming from the ceiling and a spotlight. The whirring of generators suddenly replaced the silence from earlier and neon lights came flashing on from all over. Various signs leading to different stores flashed on as the room was filled with light.

_"WELCOME- to- Fort- Frolic!" _Cohen spoke through the P.A. now.

Brigid shuddered when she spotted two plastered splicers, standing in poses that made them look as though they were admiring something, stood in front of a curtained stage.

_"No need to thank me for jamming the transmission of that boor Fontaine. Let him have his squabble with Ryan. The artist, yes, the artist knows there is richer earth to till... For example, I test you, little butterfly, but for a reason. I test all my disciples. Some shine like galaxies, and some...some burn like a moth at the flame! Come now...into my home." _

Brigid cocked her Shotgun. She took the time to look around the lobby area for anything that might be useful. She managed to find a pistol lying on the floor with some shots beside it. She then made her way up the extravagant staircase that was present and entered the Fleet Hall Theatre. Personally, she wasn't one who would take the time to visit a theater just to see a movie or play. She just wasn't that type. She explored a bit before coming upon an elevator that led to the theater itself.

She stepped into the elevator and was able to pick up the faint melody of piano music above her. She pressed the button and the cage door closed. The higher she got the louder the music got as well.

"No! No! No!" she heard Cohen say frantically.

"Mr. Cohen, please..." a voice whimpered.

"SILENCE!" Cohen snapped, followed by Jack's soft giggles, "Allegro...Allegro!"

The elevator stopped with a _ding _before opening up. Brigid walked out of the elevator, down a few steps, and into the dimly lit theater itself. A few spotlights were shone one plastered figures sitting on the seats, but one was shining down on a young man who appeared to be plastered to the piano seat. Dynamite dangerously surrounded the piano itself.

"Da. Da. Da. Da Da DA. Presto... Presto!" Cohen sang, "NO! No!"

The man stopped playing the piano and turned to look up at the seats with both his hands held up. "I'm trying..." he wailed, "Please...!"

"Once again, young Fitzpatrick." Cohen sighed.

The man turned back to the piano, whimpering. His sore fingers frantically tapped down on the keys in hopes of finally pleasing his mentor. Brigid watched the young man silently and noticed the silhouettes of three plastered splicers posed behind a red curtain. She heard Cohen repeat what he did earlier, only to end with a dismayed no. Kyle was just about to stop playing and angrily confront his former mentor when a loud, blood curdling screech suddenly filled the room faintly.

"What the hell?" Kyle muttered to himself.

Even Cohen was surprised, even briefly forgetting about Kyle's previous failure as he looked around the room where he, Jack, and Pelageya were at. The same screech suddenly filled the theater again before dying out.

"Mr. Cohen? What is that?" Jack, who was sitting on his lap, asked.

"I actually don't, quite, know, little moth." the mad artist admitted. He then looked down at the small boy with an excited smile. "Let's have a look, shall we?"

Jack's eyes widened and he grinned. "Yeah!" he exclaimed happily before giggling. "Can Pelageya come along too?"

"Of course! Pelageya can always come."

The artist seemed to have forgotten about Brigid, who was still standing where she was.

"Now, young Fitzpatrick, don't stop playing! I expect you to get that piece right by the time we return." Cohen said before teleporting out of the room in a red haze.

Kyle sobbed and silently obeyed. Pressing his fingers against the scratched keys. Brigid slowly approached the young man with her gun aimed at him in case he did something.

"Young man?" she called out.

Kyle gasped in horror and frantically held his hands up. "P-please don't shoot! I'm n-not a splicer! I'm still human! I'm still human!" he cried frantically. Flipping his bird mask back to reveal a charming young face with not even a hint of plasmid abuse. Kyle had short reddish-brown hair that looked messy from months of neglect, along with very pale skin and dull brown eyes.

Brigid lowered her gun and gave him the friendliest smile he had seen in months. "A-are you real?" he whispered. He had fallen asleep playing the piano before. And the punishment wasn't always a good one.

"Real enough." Brigid said, gently touching his sunken cheek.

"A-are you here to s-save me?"

Brigid looked over to the dynamite and then his plastered legs. "I am now." she replied.

...

Jack's face and palms were pressed against the large glass window as he watched the Bathysphere becoming nothing but a speck in the dark ocean water.

"So it seems our friends already left." Cohen said as he watched as well. He heard a soft hiss coming from Pelageya and he shook his head. "That won't be necessary, my dear. They're gone, they're gone. But I still wonder what made those loud screeches, though."

They suddenly heard a faint explosion coming from the direction of Fort Frolic and Cohen smiled. "Sounds like young Fitzpatrick finally had enough of playing." he sighed in false sadness. "Oh well! Let's not keep our little butterfly waiting." Cohen scooped Jack up into his arms once more before teleporting back to Fort Frolic with Pelageya beside him. When they returned to the stage they were greeted by a burning piano.

"Where's Kyle?" Jack asked after Cohen placed him down.

Cohen took a few steps down the stairs and narrowed his eyes at the carnage silently. His blood started to boil as he clenched his hand into a tight fist. Pelageya immediately felt alarmed by this and picked up Jack before taking a few steps back from the artist. Like a volcano erupting after years of sleeping, Cohen screamed.

"THAT LITTLE BUTTERFLY STOLE ONE OF THE PIECES NECESSARY FOR MY MASTERPIECE!"

...

Kyle sobbed heavily against Brigid's chest as they sat against one of the walls. Brigid hushed him, stroking his hair soothingly in an attempt to comfort the traumatized man. She's seen people who have been traumatized after the war. But what Kyle must've gone through in Rapture must be the worst case she's ever seen. It had been tricky breaking the plaster that imprisoned him with his piano for months without triggering the dynamite. It was after she pulled him away that a piece suddenly hit the dynamite and everything went off.

It would only be a matter of time before Cohen returns from investigating the screeches from earlier. What made them? She's never heard anything like it.

"T-thank you." Kyle sobbed, "T-thank you so much."

"How did this happen to you?" Brigid asked softly.

Kyle sniffed. "I-it's a long story. A-a very long s-story." Kyle whispered before looking up at Brigid, "W-who are you?" he asked.

"Brigid." Brigid replied.

"Brigid..." Kyle mumbled before he weakly sat up on his knees, "You're name sounds familiar. Are you a resident of Rapture as well?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out." Brigid replied with a soft chuckle.

**X.X**

**That's right! I made Kyle live. And there is no way in heck I'm gonna have be a splicer. If I'm gonna write a Bioshock fanfic with Kyle Fitzpatrick in it, he is NOT going to be a splicer. For this fic, I'm going to say he's 19 years old. Though he's probably older in the games.**

**Kudos if you found two Bioshock Infinite references! :D**

**Update: I changed the ending to help with the next chapter. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Ah! It's so good to be back in Fanfiction. I've been trying out new things that haven't ended well. So...I'M BACK!**

**I'm soooo sorry about the long wait. **

**Any who, here's chapter 12! (Btw, I had to change the ending to chapter 11 _)**

**X.X**

So. How long have you been staying under Rapture?" Brigid asked Kyle as they made their way down a hallway. Various paintings made my Cohen himself lined up on the walls. Almost all of which looked faded or slightly wrecked. One looked like it was about to fall in any moment.

"Since 1947." Kyle replied. Following behind her rather closely. He was having some trouble walking, since it had been so long since he was last on his legs. His fingers were beyond sore after pressing on the piano keys for hours on end. Trying to perfect one little mistake after the other.

Brigid stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "1947?" she repeated. "You must've been a child that time!"

Kyle put up a small smirk. "I'm nineteen now." he replied. "My birthday was only a few... A few..." He felt his heart sink to his feet as he placed one of his hands on his head. He couldn't remember what month it was? He never dared to ask Cohen; fearing it might earn him a nasty remark from the crazed artist. He felt his legs start to weaken, but Brigid gently placed both of her hands on his shoulders to balance him.

"Easy now, _malady čalaviek_." she said to him soothingly. Speaking in her Belarusian dialect. Something she hasn't done in a very long time.

Kyle looked into her green eyes with a confused expression. Obviously he didn't understand Belarusian. "What?" he asked.

Brigid smiled. "Young man." she replied.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's fine." Brigid replied with a chuckle. She kept her hand on his shoulder and the two resumed their walk through the hall of paintings. "I will admit. Some of these paintings look rather...disturbing."

"They weren't always like that." Kyle said softly, "Cohen's muse is a fickle bitch."

"I can see that." Brigid suddenly stopped when she noticed a particular painting beside them. Unlike the others, it didn't look as faded or wrecked. There was some dust, but all in all it looked like it was in perfection condition. The painting showed a large man in a tan leather coat. His back facing her and only a part of his face visible. In front of him was a woman with one of her hands on his shoulder and the other against his hand. The man had his other hand on her waist and the two appeared to be dancing. The woman reminded Brigid of...

"Elizabeth!" she cried.

"Who?" Kyle asked.

"This painting. The woman looks like Elizabeth!"

"This painting?" Kyle asked. "Oh, yeah, I remember when this was painted. Cohen calls it _Last Dance_. This was painted during his party on New Years. His muse wasn't going so good that night. But then those two showed up out of nowhere."

"What were you doing at the party?" Brigid asked.

Kyle's body tensed and he bit his bottom lip shamefully. "I...had to electrocute them. And believe me. I didn't enjoy every minute of it."

Brigid decided not to ask why there was electrocution involved and merely turned her attention back to the painting. "It's beautiful." she admitted. "Who is that man with her?"

"That man? I think his name was... DeWitt. Detective Booker DeWitt. From what I heard, they were trying to find his adopted daughter."

"Did they ever find her?"

Kyle shrugged. "Beats me." he said.

The two didn't stay much longer with the painting and resumed their walk. Brigid took note at how quiet everything was. She could only imagine what this entire place must've been like before Rapture went to hell. She imagined it full of wealthy people coming in and out to have a good time. "What were you doing with Cohen, then?" she asked.

"I... I was a disciple of his." Kyle replied. His voice quieting when he said "disciple".

"Ah." Brigid decided not to ask anymore. She suddenly came to a dead stop when she heard a faint splash coming from behind them. "Stop." she said.

"What's wrong?" Kyle asked.

"Ssh." Brigid ordered. The two fell silent and managed to pick up what sounded like footsteps and skittering. Kyle's eyes widened and his heart started to pound with fear and inched himself a bit closer to Brigid.

"Splicers." he managed to squeak.

"I know." she nodded. "Do you know how to handle a gun?"

"Why?"

Brigid didn't have to time answer as she swiftly drew out her shotgun and blew the head off an on-coming splicer behind them. Brigid immediately handed Kyle her pistol just as another Splicer came running in. "Just aim and shoot!" she yelled.

Kyle was dumbfounded by everything that was suddenly happening around him. He heard a Splicer running up to him from the side and quickly took aim before hesitantly pulling the trigger. The Splicer didn't go down immediately. It took two more shots before he finally did. More Splicers stormed into the area they were in. Eventually causing Brigid to inject herself with some plasmids and electrocute the remaining Splicers.

"Y-you use Plasmids?" Kyle asked nervously.

"What choice do I have?" Brigid sighed as she re-loaded her shotgun.

"Aren't you afraid that you might get spliced-up?"

Brigid stared at the young man with her green eyes. A blank expression present on her face as she pondered on an answer. "...Yes." she admitted. "But I'm not afraid to survive."

The two resumed their walk through Fort Frolic. Now on high alert for any other Splicer attacks. As they did, Kyle started to tell Brigid about the days when he was just a normal disciple of Cohen's. "Things weren't bad back in those days." he said. "Before the discovery of Plasmids, Cohen was a good man. Friendliest guy you'll ever meet." A soft sigh left Kyle and he shook his head sadly. "Those were the days..."

Brigid stared at the young man. She had a feeling that there something much more about his relations with Cohen. "Stand back." she said when they approached a door in a room. She slowly turned the knob and pointed the barrel of her shotgun in first before peeking in herself. "Clear." she said before swinging the door wide open. The two nearly jumped when they saw the plastered man sitting in front of a plastered covered mirror.

"Goddamn." Kyle breathed, "Cohen. What have you done?"

Brigid noticed something shining at the corner of the room and walked over to pick it up. "It's an audio diary." she said, "By Cohen."

_"The Wild Bunny by Sander Cohen." _a monotone version of Cohen's voice spoke through the small speaker. _"I want to take the ears off, but I can't. I hop, and when I hop, I never get off the ground." _His voice started to get louder._"It's my curse, my eternal curse! I want to take the ears off but I can't! It's my curse! It's my fucking curse!" _The anger in his tone was being reduced into a mournful cry. Almost like a cry for help. _"I want to take the ears off! Please! Take them off! Please!" _The tape ended with a sob.

Brigid was lost for words. She looked over to Kyle and noticed tears starting to appear in his soft, dull brown eyes. "He knew..." he whispered as tears trickled down his cheeks. "He knew... He knew he was going crazy... He knew... But..." he clenched his hand into a tight fist as anger rose in his tone. "_Why_? Why didn't he say anything? Why didn't he saying anything!? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING, COHEN!?" he screamed out of pure rage.

"Kyle!" Brigid as she gripped both of his shoulders, "Calm yourself!"

Tears only continued to roll down his cheeks before he buried his face into Brigid's jacket. "I knew it... I knew he was hiding something from me... I just knew it..." he sniffled. Finally, he sighed and pulled away from Brigid. Looking at her with red, watery eyes. "Cohen wasn't just my teacher, he was also my adopted father. My real folks dropped me off at the orphanage back in Boston when I was a wee boy. They couldn't afford to raise me properly."

Brigid watched silently as the young man leaned his back against the wall. One leg back and arms folded over his chest. Head lowered. "I never had any friends there, so I resorted to playing piano. I taught myself, you know. One day, Cohen decided he wanted a child. Apparently he wanted a new responsibility or something like that. He heard me play, and decided that I was the one he wanted. Of course, he still referred to me as Kyle Fitzpatrick." Kyle let out a long sigh. "It felt good to get that out of my chest."

Brigid nodded in agreement. "It's for the best. Thank you for taking the time to do that."

Kyle nodded.

The two left the dressing room and made their way back into the main entrance of Fort Frolic. Kyle couldn't help by let his eyes wander around a bit. He had to admit, not much has changed since he was last here. Before being plastered to his piano that is. "Pelageya use to sit by the record store and practice violin..." he said softly.

"Pelageya? You mean you knew her?" Brigid asked.

Kyle bobbed his head. "Yeah." he said, "We were best friends. We use to hang out together all the time before and after practice. But that was before..." his voice trailed off.

"What? What happened?"

Kyle looked away and wrapped his arms around himself like a hug. Memories buried deep within his mind slowly bubbling up. Memories like the time when he and Pelageya were children and Anna Culpepper would often cuss at them for being a bunch of nuisances. Or the time during their early teens. When they walked together hand-in-hand in Arcadia one New Years eve. The good memories. The days before she broke the news to him.

_"I'm sorry, Kyle." _she told him tearfully in that lovely British accent of her's, _"But I chose to. I'm doing this for my father and brother. They may not be my real family, but they're the only ones I have! And I will do anything to protect them. Even if it means I'll lose most of my memories in the process. But..." _She then took his hand into her's and held it gently. _"I need _you _to remember the times we had together. I love you, Kyle Fitzpatrick, and nothing will change that between us. Just...try to live on without me."_

Just try to live on without me...

That was the last thing she asked of him. To just live on. Find someone else to love. To not stay grief-stricken forever. That is what she asked of him. And even apologizing for any future harm she might do to him. So far, she hasn't even touched him.

"I don't wanna talk about it..." he said quietly.

Just as Brigid placed her hand sympathetically on his shoulder, the P.A. suddenly came to life.

_"I've finally found you, little butterfly. But perhaps I can forgive you for stealing one of the pieces for my artwork. For now, that is..." _Cohen's chilling voice said ominously through the speakers. Echoing throughout the empty Atrium.

_Artwork? _Brigid thought. She gripped her shotgun tightly and noticed the frightened expression on Kyle's face. Sweat rolling down his face and his eyes as wide as saucers.

_"I know why you've come, little butterfly. You've your own canvas. One you'll paint with the blood of a man I once loved. That is, after you hand over the child to that blasted Fontaine. No. I can't let that happen to his little moth. But first, you must be part of my masterpiece."_

The large white sheet that hid something underneath it suddenly fell off. Revealing a good-size stage with plastered people in rabbit masks standing in odd poses with large frames in between them.

**X.X**

**Sorry about the crappy chapter. But I am aware that Kyle Fitzpatrick is NOT Sander Cohen's son. Let alone adopted son. I thought I should put that out for people. BTW, I got **_**Bioshock: Rapture **_**the other day! :D**


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